


Stripped Bare

by Purple_Panic



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Bathroom Sex, Epic, F/M, Lemon, Loss of Virginity, Mind Control, Oral Sex, Rape, Strip Tease, Strippers & Strip Clubs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-01-07
Updated: 2008-01-07
Packaged: 2017-11-08 12:32:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 26
Words: 289,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/443225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purple_Panic/pseuds/Purple_Panic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Sakura wanted a change of pace, she hadn't expected THIS! Now she's on a mission with Kakashi, masquerading as a dancer at a club far away from home and she finds herself forced to explore her own powers of sexuality and seduction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone. I am pleased to post my first story of the New Year! This particular plot bunny has been growing inside my head for a while now and I hope I can portray on the paper everything that's jumbled inside my head!

Thanks Cyn and Serre for your comments and critiques. I love you guys!

I do not own Naruto and this story contains mature content.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare-Chapter 1

"Hokage-sama, you can't really be serious about assigning her to this job can you? She is unfit for this type of mission and the training to prepare her for such work would take more time than we could afford. With all do respect, I think it would be better to choose someone else."

The honey eyed woman raised a blonde eyebrow in silent admonishment. She understood what he was getting at for she too had felt the same way, but she had gone through the roster time and time again and her conclusion had been the same. There simply was no one else available to take this job. However, she was not expecting such a strong resistance from the man in front of her. Being a former ANBU, he usually took orders without question, trusting his superiors to make the correct choices for the good of the village. Considering her history with Lady Luck, it figured he would pick today of all days to talk back.

"I understand that you're worried Kakashi, but I believe you are underestimating her."

She folded her recently manicured hands and set them on the desk, evenly meeting the gaze of his single dark eye.

"There was a time when you knew her abilities better than anyone, but that time has come and gone. She hasn't been your student for years and I have seen her grow by leaps and bounds in the meantime. Her lack of experience in this field will no doubt make the mission more difficult, but it will by no means make it impossible."

Inexperience? Kakashi wanted to scoff at the statement. Inexperience was putting it mildly. The mission called for a girl well acquainted with the dark world of seduction and lust. His former student clearly didn't match that description.

"Since you request that I accompany the chosen kunoichi, I would feel much more comfortable with a different candidate. The Yamanaka girl or even Ten Ten would fit the profile better."

Tsunade sighed irritably, fighting to keep her cool, Kakashi was being abnormally adverse to the whole situation and she hated to be made to repeat herself. She didn't like the situation any better than he did considering the girl she had chosen was like her own daughter and she couldn't help but feel she was sending her straight into the lion's den.

Earlier that morning she had received a request for a girl between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five to come to the aid of a small club in a province between Wind and Earth Country. That particular area, though excelling in modern technology, was known to lack a consistent form of government and not many missions came from that area, most potential request going to Suna which was closer, or resorting to hiring thugs to solve problems with brute force. However, a successful mission with Leaf shinobi could possibly lead to more of the area's requests going to Konoha, a fact that was too tempting for Tsunade to pass up.

However, this particular mission seemed a little more delicate than the average assassination or attempt at peace keeping. The assignment came from a man in a crime ridden city named Fuzen Machi. Tsunade had even been there a few times considering the hell hole was a gambling hot spot. The man owned a club with exotic dancers and recently, several of his girls had turned up missing, threatening to put him out of business completely. The message had asked that a single girl arrive dressed as a civilian and shadow as an undercover dancer in search of the culprit, using feminine charm and her own body to get the answers she needed from the club's patrons.

If only Anko had been a few years younger, she would have sent her without a second thought, but there was no way the snake summoning kunoichi could pass for the requested age. She agreed Ino would most definitely have been the prime pick, except that she had left on a mission with her team nearly a week ago and wasn't due back for another ten days. Ten Ten too was gone on a simple escort mission with Neji which would last another three or four days. The one assigned would need to leave immediately.

"Kakashi, you have made your concern very clear but my decision remains the same. All other eligible kunoichi are already on assignment. The only other available girl fitting the profile is Hinata and I think you will agree with me that Sakura is definitely the better pick between the two of them."

Kakashi, who had been standing abnormally straight during this battle of wills with the Hokage, slumped a little. He couldn't deny that she indeed had a point. If you were to even mention such a thing as strip dancing around the Hyuuga heiress, she no doubt turn a startling shade of pink before promptly passing out.

Tsunade saw him deflate and sighed in relief, hoping his return to his normally abominable posture signaled he had conceded. However, with that infernal mask covering his face, he was even harder to read than most shinobi she dealt with.

"You are an excellent ninja Kakashi, and are a master in many fields and that's why I'm sending you along with Sakura," Tsunade said, her voice taking on a gentler tone. "You know her better than most and have protected her in the past. I expect nothing less from you this time around."

"Yes Hokage-same." He replied, his voice betraying the weight that was in his chest.

The masked man bowed slightly, still not happy with the final decree. He wasn't trying to spare the young kunoichi her innocence, for that was something you relinquished when you were given the title of shinobi. He simply thought this mission would go far better with a different girl, but he supposed it couldn't be helped if Sakura was the only one.

However, he was thankful that he would be at her side to keep her safe and make sure she got through this mission. On the other hand, he was well aware of the endless possibilities for awkward situations their partnership during this mission would produce. She had been his student at the tender age of twelve and in some ways, he still thought of her as that same little girl. He knew he would be in for a rude awakening when she assumed the role of a burlesque dancer.

"Thank You Kakashi, you are free to go. Don't forget that her hospital shift ends at six and you are to meet back here so we can brief her on this mission and go over the details."

He replied with a silent nod of his silvery head, his hand already straying to the pocket of his flak jacket to retrieve his most prized possession, flipping the orange jacketed book open to where he had left off. He was almost out the door before Tsunade stopped him.

"Oh, and one more thing. Since you are without a doubt the expert of all things perverted, I've left her training in such matters up to you."

Her words were enough to stop him dead in his tracks and if his mask hadn't hidden his face, it would have been possible to see his mouth agape, his visible eye wide in shock at Tsunade's casual amendment to his mission agenda.

Slowly, he turned around to face the Hokage, not quite sure he had actually heard her right.

Tsunade smiled at his obvious dumbfounded reaction. She knew Kakashi enjoyed his dirty books, but that didn't mean he wasn't a gentleman. She had correctly guessed that showing his former student how to fulfill the average man's desires while gleaning information at the same time was not exactly his idea of a good time. Because of this, she trusted him to do it all the more, and if she ever found out that he had for some reason, taken advantage of her apprentice, she would have a fist ready with his name written all over it, and perhaps a lit match to set flame to all his precious books.

"The walk to Fuzen Machi should take about five days," she said. "You will have to make the most of it and teach her on the way."

Kakashi nodded mutely before turning and walking out of the room, flipping open his book but not seeing the words on the pages. This complicated mission just got a lot more complicated, and it hadn't even started yet!

XXXXX

A tickling sensation had invaded Sakura's nose and she was barely able to grab a tissue in time before the sneeze came. She hoped she wasn't getting sick but it wouldn't be all that surprising considering she did work at a hospital. Perhaps someone somewhere was talking about her.

She blew her nose and tossed the used tissue into the trash before resuming her work. She was seated on a stool before a microscope and should have been analyzing the culture on the slide but she simply couldn't make her mind focus today.

She let her eyes travel to the view outside the window. From the third floor lab, she could see down into the streets below and watch the people passing by and for a moment she envied them for being out in the afternoon sunshine while she was stuck inside.

It wasn't that she didn't like her job as a medic. She loved what she did for it proved to everyone, and most importantly, herself that she was not useless as a Konoha shinobi. She felt needed, important, and she was given the chance to help someone everyday. But lately, she couldn't help but feel the job was getting a little monotonous.

Her eyes gazed over the colorful throng off bustling villagers below and her eyes came to rest one a particular blue clad figure, one with black spiky hair and her heart immediately began to beat a little faster.

Sasuke had returned to the village over two years ago after at last defeating his brother. After the fight he had limped back to Konoha, barely alive and had collapsed at their gate unconscious.

Sakura had been the one to nurse him back to health, and all that time she had spent at his side, infusing her chakra into him to knit broken bones back together gave her plenty of time to think. What he had done to his village, to his team, had been wrong. He had tried to kill Naruto more than once and if she had taken greater initiative to interfere, he probably would have attacked her as well. But even so, butterflies filled her stomach and her heart leapt to her throat every time she saw him and she knew deep down, she still held deep feelings for this man.

When he had awakened, he had been interrogated for hours by Tsunade and nobody really knew what went on in that room. When she asked him later about it, he had shrugged and said he had done what he needed to do, for his destiny was to kill his brother, and Konoha lacked the tools to allow him to do so. Now that his goal was accomplished, he had no reason to run anymore and was ready to take full responsibility for his actions.

The consequences had indeed been severe. For months he had been locked up like a common criminal, chakra inhibitors preventing him from hardly lifting a finger while he was subjected to an endless series of medical tests to determine just what exactly Orochimaru had done to him and how the curse mark had effected him over the years. When they had at last determined he was safe to release among the population, they had watched him like a hawk, restricting his training to only taijutsu at first and then gradually allowing him more use of his chakra. His probation forbade him to take missions of even the lowest rank and he was under no circumstances allowed to leave the village but the whole time Sasuke didn't seem to mind, training away diligently and seeming to enjoy the frequent sparring matches with Naruto, who hardly left his side unless he was dragged away on a mission, so enthusiastic was he to have his friend back.

Even though she was overjoyed to have the team back together, she couldn't help but feel his return had once again placed her at the bottom of the pecking order. When she sparred with Sasuke, he always won without fail, and even Naruto was having an easier time predicting and avoiding her attacks. She was once again the weakest link, still trailing behind them and struggling to catch up, and she couldn't help but wonder if all that training with Tsunade had been for nothing.

After nearly a year of supervision, Sasuke was allowed to take missions again, and was even allowed to participate in the Chuunin exams which he of course, easily passed. He would no doubt make Jounin at the next exam and was even considering joining ANBU after that.

He had discarded the clothes that marked him as Orochimaru's apprentice and had gone back to wearing the blue shirt that bore his family insignia on the back. Their team was whole again and even held a new member, considering Sai had never gone back to ROOT and it seemed everything was just how it was before Sasuke had left, right down to the fact that she still adored him and he brushed her off as if her affections were nothing than an annoyance.

Sakura sighed on her stool, watching the distant figure disappear into the crowd. She had dreamed of the day when he would come home, only, in her version he would finally realize how wrong he had been to ignore her and welcome her with open arms. She was realizing more and more how naïve she had been, for while he openly admitted she had gotten a great deal stronger and she was indeed a skilled medic, he hadn't shown her an ounce of affection or even made a single move that suggested he wanted to be more than just team mates.

It had torn her apart, it still was tearing her apart, piece by piece, day by day, but she couldn't stop herself from caring for him even though the realization was gradually dawning on her that he was all wrong for her. It was as if he held her heart in his fist and he was squeezing it a little more with each passing day, and soon she would be crushed completely by him.

She had liked to think she was stronger than that, but the truth was, when it came to Sasuke, she wasn't. She was still the weak little girl she had always been and it killed her inside. She wished there was something she could do to make him see her as the woman she wanted to be to him.

Just then a sharp knock on the door broke her out of her self reflection and she instantly snapped to attention, turning to face the source of the sound.

"Come in."

The door swung inward to reveal Kotetsu, bandages covering the bridge of his nose as usual.

"I'm sorry for the interruption Sakura-san," he said with a slight bow. "But Tsunade told me to give you the message to meet her in her office once your shift is over."

Sakura nodded and told him she would be there and he let with another bow of his dark brown head.

The kunoichi turned back to the work before her and commanded herself to focus. She had a lot to do before her shift was over and daydreaming about Sasuke wasn't exactly productive.

She wondered what Tsunade wanted to discuss with her and hoped she hadn't seen through the fact she no longer enjoyed her work as she once did.

Sakura bent forward and peered through the lens of the microscope, turning the knob on the side to make miniscule adjustments in focus. As the cells on the slide gradually shifted from fuzzy blobs to crystal clear specimens, Sakura wondered if maybe this unexpected call signaled a welcome change of pace.

XXXXX

"You want me to do what?"

It turned out that change of pace she had been dreaming about had come much sooner than expected. The only problem was the alternative she was being offered was something she couldn't picture herself doing…ever.

Tsunade sat back against her chair wearily. First Kakashi and now Sakura. It seemed the whole world was in opposition to this mission.

"Sakura, calm down," she said firmly. "I will not have you throwing a fit in my office, understand?"

The kunoichi seemed to wilt a little, smoothing her pale pink medic skirt as she struggled to regain her composure.

"Yes shishou," she muttered.

She let her eyes dart sideways to the silver haired man that was sitting casually in a nearby chair. Just why the heck was he here anyways? And why was he so calm?

Little did she know, that despite his relaxed posture, Kakashi was still having just as hard of a time with this mission as she was, but he would never show it. He would have to be strong for both of them until Sakura got used to the idea.

"Now," Tsunade continued. "You will go to Fuzen Machi disguised as a civilian. That means no fighting unless absolutely necessary. Upon arriving, you will report to the club and meet with Dajaku, the owner. He will brief you on what exactly you will be doing there but considering the establishment is a gentleman's club, I think you already have a pretty good idea of what to expect."

Sakura nodded mutely, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from groaning aloud.

"You will befriend the women there and find out as much as you can from them as to where the missing women might have gone as well as use all possible means to extract information from suspicious patrons of the club while maintaining your disguise."

Sakura swallowed audibly. She knew what 'all possible means' meant. How could Tsunade expect this from her? She knew more about the male anatomy than anyone, but when it came to handling it like…that, she was beyond clueless. She couldn't dance and she certainly couldn't perform a convincing strip tease. She was a virgin dammit, one who had only been kissed a handful of times and none of them could be considered smoldering moments of passion. Hell, she had either been half drunk or nervous beyond description.

"Tsunade-sama, I'm unfit for this!" she blurted out, unable to remain silent any longer. "Surely there's someone better, someone who's not a…"

She trailed off as her cheeks flushed pink. She was embarrassed enough as it was. Confessing she was a virgin in front of her former sensei might just be the death of her.

The Hokage eyed her expectantly, waiting for her to finish. When she didn't, she prompted her.

"Someone who isn't a what, Sakura?"

The kunoichi shook her head, sending cotton candy bangs into downcast eyes.

"Never mind shishou, it's nothing."

"Very well," the blonde said with a sigh. "Kakashi will accompany you to Fuzen Machi in the guise of a civilian as well. He will meet Dajabu with you but from that point on, I don't want it to be apparent you two are working together. He will visit the club nightly as a patron and survey the scene for possible suspects as well as make outside investigations during the day. When you two need to communicate at the club, you must make it appear that you are simply a dancer and an observer."

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing and she turned to fix her wide eyed stare on the masked man. He had finally looked up from the apparently fascinating floor boards and gave her a patented eye crease.

"Looks like we'll be partners Sakura-chan."

This was just too much. Not only did she have to strip for strangers, but her own teacher would be watching as well. Her cheeks were warm before but now they positively burned at the thought of dancing on a pole in hardly more than a scrap of fabric as Kakashi looked on. This was without a doubt, turning into the worst day of her life and she found herself wanting to deliver a bone shattering punch to the man's face just so he couldn't watch her dance. But that of course, would be unprofessional and she would only have to use her chakra reserves to heal him anyways so she remained standing quietly, trying not to scream.

"You are to leave as soon as possible," Tsunade continued, noting the scarlet state of Sakura's face and feeling a little sympathy for her flustered apprentice. However, she had one final blow to deliver.

"Sakura, I have left all matters of training in required fields for this mission in Kakashi's hands. You won't have time to do it before you leave so you must do it on the road. If you have any questions at all, please ask him. The success of this mission lies in your ability to apply those skills properly."

She was dumb struck, her gaze switching from Tsunade to Kakashi as she desperately hoped this was all one big prank. She felt tears begin to form in her eyes as pure mortification overwhelmed her, but she blinked them back angrily. They both knew she was inadequate in the fields of expertise that this mission required and yet they were sending her on it anyways, and if that weren't enough, she would have to learn the tricks of the trade not from another woman, but from a man, and not just any man, but Kakashi, Konoha's resident pervert.

The urge to send a fist through Tsunade's desk and reduce it to nothing but a pile of splinters was so strong that her hands twitched at her sides but she fought down the urge as she choked back the tears.

"The two of you will leave in the morning," Tsunade announced. She turned her head to Kakashi and gave him a condemning glance. "And I trust you will not be late."

The lanky man gave a curt nod.

"Yes, Tsunaded-sama."

"Well then," she said, glad this meeting was finally over. "You are dismissed. Pack only what you need for the journey there. Dajuku will provide provisions and appropriate wardrobe for you upon arrival."

Sakura fought down a bitter laugh. She should have said "the appropriate lack of wardrobe" considering what she would be doing.

Kakashi stood and immediately withdrew his usual orange book and Sakura wondered just how many of those scenes would be inspiration for her future training.

She was about to follow Kakashi out the door when Tsunade called her back. Instead of punching a hole through the door in frustration, she took a deep breath and walked back to her desk.

Tsunade could see she was on the verge of tears and didn't blame her. Sakura was still surprisingly innocent considering she was nineteen and had been a shinobi for her entire teenage existence. It killed her to rip that away from her so suddenly, thrusting her into such a dark world, but it had to happen sooner or later and she knew the experience, though painful, would aid her on her path to becoming a superior kunoichi.

"Sakura, I know this is hard for you, but I truly believe you can do this. I would not have assigned you this to mission if I didn't."

The younger medic nodded, her throat raw with the need to cry but she would not break down, not here in front of her mentor.

"I assigned Kakashi to go with you because he knows you well. He is a professional and he will act accordingly. You don't need to hesitate if you have a question. He's on this mission to support you."

"I know," Sakura said, her voice coming out in a choked whisper.

"Good girl," Tsunade smiled, taking her hand in her own and squeezing it in a rare display of affection. "Go make me proud Sakura."

The kunoichi nodded, giving her a half hearted smile that didn't reach her emerald eyes.

Without another word, Sakura left the room, closing the door quietly behind her, leaving the blonde Hokage alone.

Tsunade rested her elbows on her desk's wooden surface and took her head in her hands, hoping fervently that the decision she had made was the right one.

XXXXX

Konoha was by no means a large city, although at was a little on the big side as far as villages went. Unfortunately for Sakura, that fact worked against her and the news of her upcoming departure with Kakashi spread fast. Luckily, nobody seemed to know what her mission with him entailed and whenever anybody asked, she curtly replied that it was classified.

That only worked or so long because when Naruto heard she would be leaving, he tracked her down in no time, running to meet her as she wearily walked home.

"Sakura-chan!" he cried happily, grinning from ear to ear idiotically as usual.

"Hey Naruto," she replied with far less enthusiasm. All she wanted to do was go to bed abnormally early and enjoy her last night in her own room for quite some time but Naruto would have none of it.

"I heard you'll be leaving on a pretty long mission with Kakashi-sensei huh?" he asked, cutting right to the chase.

"Yeah," Sakura grumbled. "Tonight is my last night here."

Naruto seemed to think for a moment and she could almost see the wheels turning behind those blue eyes.

"You haven't been on a mission in a long time. You're always stuck in that hospital all day."

Her temper was shorter than usual thanks to the large weight that has just been hefted onto her shoulders and so she was already on the verge of punching his lights out. He just had to point out that she spent most of her life behind hospital walls didn't he? Along with the lack of missions, why didn't he just add a social life and a boyfriend to the list of things she didn't have?

"You must be excited to finally get to leave town," Naruto continued cheerfully, oblivious to the vein that was starting to throb in her forehead. "And since it's with Kakashi-sensei, it's probably high ranked too."

Sure it was high ranked, but they weren't paying her nearly enough for what they expected her to do.

"So," he pushed on. "What do you have to do? Escort someone? Rescue a prisoner? Steal something valuable?"

The blonde's eyes glittered with excitement and Sakura found her anger dissipating in the face of his child-like enthusiasm.

"Sorry Naruto. It's classified," She said simply, turning to resume her walk home but Naruto caught her hand, refusing to let her go.

"Aw come on Sakura-chan. You know I won't tell."

Those big blue eyes looked an awful lot like a puppy's, all big and pleading, but she wouldn't let his pouting get to her.

"Naruto, I'm not going to tell you," she said with a finality that warned him he had better drop the subject.

Even as the years had passed, so much about Naruto remained the same. His body had matured, growing taller and more muscular as his strength increased and he was indeed a formidable fighter, but as far as maturity went, there were times when she imagined he hadn't aged a day. The thought was both refreshing and incredibly annoying.

"Fine," he sighed, giving up his quest to extract details from her. "But at least come to Ichiraku with me. The team is having dinner there and you have to go considering you're going to be gone for a while."

At the word "team", Sakura immediately tensed. He was no doubt referring to Team Seven which originally included Kakashi. After what had happened in Tsunade's office, she didn't think she was ready to face him just yet.

"Is Kakashi going to be there?" she asked, trying not to sound nervous, but lucky for her, Naruto was not the most perceptive of people.

"Nah, he said he had some stuff to do," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest and looking a little put out that his former sensei could possibly have something more important on his agenda than meet his grown students for ramen.

Sakura let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding. At least something was going right today.

"All right, I'll come," Sakura agreed, turning to fall into step with Naruto. "But you're paying."

XXXXX

It turns out that Team Seven not only included Sasuke, but Sai as well, for they found the two of them occupying adjacent stools in uneasy silence upon their arrival.

It was no secret that the two of them didn't get along. Their relationship was even rockier than it had been between Naruto and Sai upon their introduction. Sasuke didn't like the idea that Sai had essentially replaced him and Sai thought Sasuke was no better than trash for abandoning his village. However, the two of them had agreed to at least act civil in each other's presence when Sakura and Naruto were around.

"Jeez, what took you so long?" Sasuke huffed, disliking that he had been kept waiting.

Sai on the other hand greeted the couple with a usual fake smile.

After ordering, Naruto tried his luck with Sakura again.

"So Sakura, what are you going to be doing on your mission with Kakashi?

The kunoichi rolled her eyes and took a sip of her tea.

"I already told you it's classified."

"Really?" Sai chimed in. "I was in Tsunade's office earlier and the folder for that particular mission was in the non-classified stack."

If Sakura hadn't had two bodies sitting between her and the artist on the other end, Sai would have felt the full force of her fist against his face.

She heard Sasuke chuckle quietly as her lie was revealed and felt her cheeks flush pink. When she got back from this stupid mission, she would make sure that Sai would pay for embarrassing her in front of him.

Just then, their ramen arrived and she silently prayed the steaming bowls would be enough to divert their attention off of her, but as she grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the container on the counter and broke them apart, Naruto tried interrogating her again through a mouthful of noodles.

"Come on Sakura, what's the mission about? It's weird you're being so secretive about something non-classified."

"It's probably something so embarrassing, she doesn't want to tell anyone," Sasuke sneered as he fished a piece of pork out of his bowl and ate it with much more finesse than Naruto who was wolfing down his food as if he expected it to disappear at any moment.

"Embarrassing?" the blonde pondered, slurping a noodle noisily. "Like rescuing puppies or something?"

"No you idiot. Why would Tsunade send two elite shinobi for that?" Sasuke scoffed, rolling his eyes and taking no notice that Sakura sat up a little straighter, her heart beating faster at the fact he had called her elite.

"Well then what do you think the mission is?" the whiskered man said, jabbing a chopstick at Sasuke's face.

The dark haired Uchiha was silent a moment, a smug smile spreading over his features as he paused for dramatic effect. Sakura ate her ramen and tried to act like she was ignoring them but Sasuke spoke loud enough for her to hear too.

"Maybe, they have to act like husband and wife, and they don't want anybody to know."

Sakura practically chocked on a noodle and when she looked over at him with wide eyes, his own coal orbs were trained on her, his lips twisted in a smirk as he gauged the effect his comment had had on the kunoichi, seeing if he could loosen those tight lips a little.

"What? Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan acting married? That's just gross!" Naruto exclaimed while Sai ate his ramen quietly, impervious to the whole thing.

"Think about it," Sasuke continued, his eyes never leaving her shocked face. "They would have to hold hands in public and act all affectionate. They would sleep in the same bed, and if they really wanted to keep up appearances, maybe they would even—"

"Shut up!" Sakura exclaimed, finally loosing her cool. "We are not acting like we're married!"

"Then what is your mission exactly?" Sasuke asked smugly. "Or would you like me to keep guessing?"

The kunoichi sighed in defeat. She didn't want to know what other humiliating scenarios he could conjure up so she might as well just spill it. They were trustworthy enough not to go blabbing anyways.

"All right, I'll tell you," she said, setting down her chopsticks and leaning in so she wouldn't have to talk so loud.

The boys leaned in as well and even Sai perked up and took an interest, waiting expectantly for what she was about to say.

"I'm going to city with Kakashi, pretending that I'm a…dancer."

The blank stares from all three men told her they didn't know what to think, but she really didn't take Sai's into account. He always looked that way.

"I thought you were going to tell us the truth," Sasuke said after a moment, narrowing his eyes at the pink haired woman on the other side of Naruto.

"It is the truth!" she hissed angrily, wanting to wipe the incredulous expression right off his face.

"But Sakura-chan, you can't dance," Naruto said, his brow kitted in confusion.

"I know!" Sakura exclaimed desperately before catching herself and lowering her voice once more. "I don't get why Tsunade is sending me on this mission in the first place."

"What kind of dance?" Sai piped up from the back. "Ballet?"

"Um…not exactly," Sakura answered, rubbing the back of her head nervously. She hadn't wanted to tell them all the details but the artist among them had a talent for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

"Good. The sight of you in a tutu would be frightening," Sasuke remarked blandly.

"What kind of dance then? Traditional?" Naruto asked, imagining how pretty Sakura would look in a kimono.

She shook her head, her cheeks warming all over again.

"Exotic?" Sasuke chuckled, obviously joking as he took a sip of his tea.

Sakura cringed and didn't say anything, letting her silence be her admittance.

Naruto's eyes grew wide as the realization dawned on him.

"No way," he murmured in awe. "You're going to be a stripper?"

She nodded meekly, chancing a glance over at Sasuke to see how he was reacting and was dismayed to see he had frozen with his glass halfway too his lips, a look of complete disbelief on his face.

"Man, Kakashi-sensei is so lucky! He gets to see you dance! Man, I wish I could go with you on this mission," Naruto pouted childishly.

The man next to him had apparently recovered from his stupor and sneered arrogantly.

"It's not like you'll be missing much," he said. "Her boobs aren't big enough to put on a descent show."

Sakura felt her eyes burn as tears began to form in them for the second time that day. Honestly, she thought she had grown out of her crybaby stage but the stinging remark from her crush cut her deep. However, the only thing worse than the Uchiha hurting her was to let him see that he had done so. She blinked back her tears and bit down on her trembling lip and threw one of her chopsticks at the one who had insulted her, hitting him in the neck.

The Uchiha looked slightly shocked and that alone was enough to make her feel better and she noted that as he rubbed the red mark with his hand, a small bruise was already forming where the point had hit him.

"Hey, good shot Sakura-chan!" Naruto laughed. "That's what he gets for saying mean things about you."

Sasuke simply "hmphed" and went back to his meal while Sai spoke up again.

"So why is Kakashi going with you? Is he a dancer too?"

"Eew! No!" Sakura cried, her mood lightening a bit at the thought of her sensei's tall, lanky form stuffed into a sequin bikini.

Ok…that thought needed to go away before what she had just eaten decided to come back up.

"He's my escort," she clarified. "I'm traveling to the city as a civilian so if I get into trouble, I won't be able to fight, and once we're in the club, he'll be there…keeping an eye on me."

She didn't really want to go into any more detail, because honestly, she wasn't sure how much she should say. She was going undercover after all and she didn't want to blow it before the mission even started.

"Oh, he'll keep an eye on you all right," Sasuke smirked, knowing the Copy Ninja's affinity for dirty books and imagined he would be enjoying this mission a little too much.

The thought wasn't any comfort to her already frazzled nerves. She had been assured her sensei would act quite professionally but that didn't make it any easier to dance in front of him.

"Don't worry Sakura," Naruto assured, seeing the flustered look on her face. "If he does anything perverted, just tell me and I'll punch him good for you when he gets back."

Sakura giggled at chivalrous gesture but shook her head.

"There's no need for that Naruto. If he does anything perverted, I'll knock him out myself."

At that, both of them laughed together, knowing full well that it was true. Sasuke and Sai remained quiet, finishing up their meals as the sun went down and the surrounding paper lanterns were lit.

"Well guys," Sakura said, stretching in satisfaction before patting her full stomach. "I need to get home. I have to get up early tomorrow."

Naruto offered to walk her home and she accepted, knowing she wouldn't get to see him for some time.

Sai and Sasuke took off in the opposite direction and she called goodbye to both of them. Sai turned around to give her a fake smile and Sasuke simple raised a hand in the air in a silent farewell, not even looking over his shoulder at her as he walked away.

As she walked side by side with the orange clad man, she wondered what kind of effect the knowledge of her new mission had had on the Uchiha. Did he picture her dancing sensually, clothed in practically nothing? Did that image force him to view her as a woman and not as an annoying girl? Sakura blushed a little at the thought but sincerely hoped it had changed his perception of her for the better.

"Hello? Earth to Sakura?"

Naruto's voice broke through her daydream and brought her back to reality in a hurry.

"What? Oh, sorry! What did you say?" she asked sheepishly as she realized he had been talking to her.

Naruto shook his head and laughed.

"Come on space case, you do that on a mission and you could end up dead!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Sakura sighed tiredly. "It's just that I'm really nervous for this assignment. I've never done anything like this before."

Naruto grinned, making light of her comment by saying, "Well if you had, I'd be disappointed you didn't practice on me."

Unfortunately, his words did little to soothe her and her shoulders dropped visibly.

"Yeah well, I get to practice on Kakashi instead and that's the weirdest thing I've ever had to do. Naruto, I don't even know if I can pull this off!"

The blonde could sense the panic and desperation rising in his friend's voice and his heart went out to her. As a whole, kunoichi were assigned far more missions that forced them to use their bodies to gain information than their male counterparts and since Naruto had never been in that sort of situation, he couldn't really relate to what she was going through but he sympathized all the same.

He stopped walking and noticed Sakura had been staring at her own feet as she walked, her pretty face scrunched into a worried expression.

"Hey," he said softly, grabbing her hand and bringing her to a stop as well, letting the thinning evening crowds move around them. "If there's anyone I know who can overcome challenges, it's you Sakura."

Her eyes remained stubbornly fixed on the ground, despite the whiskered man's encouragements.

"You have always found a way to get though," he continued. "Like that time in the Forest of Death, even though you had to cut off most of your hair, and during your training with Tsunade and all those years when Sasuke was gone. You're a strong person Sakura. Don't say you can't do this because I know you can."

The kunoichi hesitantly lifted green eyes to meet his lucid blue ones.

"Really?"

"Hell yeah," Naruto said with a smile. "And if Kakashi gives you any trouble, tell him you're going to burn all of his Icha Icha books."

At this, Sakura couldn't help but giggle as she imagined their teacher on his knees in front of a pile of ashes, sobbing over the loss of his porn.

"But if you don't believe you can do it, you've already lost the battle, right?" he said, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder.

She nodded, her eyes reflecting the light of the lanterns all around them.

"I know. It's just…going to be hard for me. I'm going to have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable."

Naruto gave her shoulder a squeeze before letting his hand drop away.

"Yeah, I think that's just part of being a ninja. Our job is fun and fulfilling, but hardly ever easy."

Sakura smiled and nodded again, wondering just when her once obnoxious friend had gained such wisdom. Even though he had been back from his two years of training for some time, she found she was still surprised with how he had changed, or maybe the change had happened more recently and was just now showings itself in his words and actions.

"Thanks Naruto," she said sincerely, a small smile now gracing her lips. "I'm glad you believe in me. It's really means a lot."

His face split in a toothy grin much more characteristic of his younger self.

"Don't mention it Sakura-chan."

They continued walking in the direction of her house, letting a comfortable silence settle between them before Naruto started to snicker.

The medic was immediately wary, slowing until she finally stood with her hands on her hips.

"What the heck is so funny?"

"Sasuke is such an idiot," the blonde said through his chortles.

"And why is that?"

Naruto sobered a moment, appearing to be thinking over whether he should say the next sentence or quit while he was ahead.

"Well?" Sakura prompted impatiently.

"That bastard doesn't think you're boobs are big enough to dance at a club, but I think you'll look great in a thong and a bra!"

Her jaw clenched at his words. And just why the hell was he imagining her in such an outfit anyways?

"Naruto…" she said, a definite warning tone in her voice.

"Hey, since I don't get to come with you, do you think you could take a picture of yourself in the outfit they put you in and give it to me when you get back?"

Ok, that was going too far!

"Naruto!" she yelled, advancing on him and cracking her knuckles menacingly.

"Oh come on," he laughed, backing away and holding his hands up in defense. "Just one picture?"

"That's it!" Sakura yelled, lunging at him, but Naruto had been expecting her attack and took off laughing, running full speed down the street towards her house, no doubt expecting her to pursue.

And pursue she did. He was lucky she would be gone for a while, otherwise she might have to beat him senseless over the next few days for making a request like that.

XXXXX

Naruto trudged back to his own house just as the last of Konoha's shops and eateries were closing. The food in his stomach had finally caught up with him and he was starting to feel sleepy.

The little chase to Sakura's house has ended with her delivering a powerful blow with her fist as always, but lucky for him, she had spared his face and had instead hit him hard enough in his shoulder to give him a dead arm. Even now the feeling was only starting to trickle back into it. He didn't really mind though. He was happy he was able to help her take her mind off her troubles even for just a little while. She had looked so nervous and flustered at diner and he hated seeing her so upset.

It was no secret that he had had a crush on her during their academy years but recently, he found that all the awe and reverence he held for her now was because he thought she was an extremely skilled medic and kunoichi, not because he was head over heels for her.

He wasn't exactly sure when it had happened but his adoration for her had waned and in its place grew an incredibly strong friendship, one that he treasured more than any action of hand holding or hugging.

He thought she was extremely cool, no doubt, all composed and calm in the heat of battle but he didn't chase her like a lost puppy anymore. Somehow, he knew deep inside that it never would have worked anyways as long as she harbored such deep feelings for Sasuke, although he personally thought she deserved someone better.

However, she threw herself into her work so completely that it seemed unlikely that she would ever find someone new. Naruto secretly though that even though difficult, a mission far away from the village would be good for her. She needed some time away from the hospital.

Naruto had almost reached his house when he saw a tall lanky figure walking towards him.

Even if he hadn't been sporting a messy crop of silver hair or his hitai-ate slanted over his right eye, Naruto would have known it was him in an instant from his pronounced slouch and the fact he was walking along while reading a bright orange book.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei!' Naruto called, running to catch up with the older man.

The Copy ninja hadn't been his instructor for years, but somehow he could never seem to get used to calling him "senpai", even though Kakashi always said being called "sensei" made him feel old.

The sound of his voice was enough to pull the Jounin out of his book and he looked up and raised a hand in greeting to the orange and black jacketed man who was running towards him.

"Hello Naruto," he said, his smile hidden beneath his mask but his eye crease communicating the gesture all the same. "Why are you out and about this evening?"

"I was just walking Sakura home," the blonde said, falling into step with Kakashi even though he was walking in the direction opposite of his own house. Even though he was tired, there was something he wanted to say to the masked man before he left on his mission in the morning.

"Oh, is that so?" Kakashi said, controlling his voice carefully despite the slight wave of aggravation that passed through him just at the mention of her name. He had been doing his best to forget about his predicament all afternoon and Naruto had gone and brought it up again.

"Yeah, she told me you two were going on a mission tomorrow, some place far away."

The younger man kept his tone casual but in reality he was curious to see how Kakashi would react. The Copy nin had refocused his attention on his book as they walked but Naruto knew he wasn't reading it, for he saw his former sensei tense almost imperceptibly before getting a grip on himself and putting his calm façade back into place.

Kakashi "hmmed" mundanely but was inwardly groaning. He had hoped Sakura wouldn't divest the details of their mission to any of the curious people who were no doubt asking her but it appeared she had at least told Naruto and probably the rest of her team. Now the question was, just how much had she said?

"She said she was really nervous," Naruto continued, interlacing his fingers behind his head as he walked. "But I told her not to worry. She always figures out a way to get through difficult situations."

"That she does," Kakashi responded without shifting his eyes from his dog eared page.

"Yeah," he said, deciding to drop the bomb. "Even if she had to undress and dance for strange men, I'm sure she'll make the best of it."

Kakashi damn near dropped his book at Naruto's comment but managed to disguise his shock well and stopped in his tracks, finally giving him his full attention.

"This is not an easy situation for either of us," he said evenly, unsure what Naruto was getting at.

"I'm sure it's not, especially since she has to learn everything from you."

"What are you trying to say Naruto?" the taller man asked flatly, tired of the blonde's insinuations and wanting to get to the point.

"All I'm saying is that this is hard enough for her. Don't do anything to make it harder." Naruto said, crossing his arms defensively over his chest.

"And how do you propose I would do that?" Kakashi asked, arching a silver eyebrow.

"Well…I mean…you know…" Naruto began, beginning to fidget as he tried to find the right words. "Like what's in your books. Like…perverted stuff."

Kakashi sighed patiently, knowing his student meant well, but some things were just unavoidable.

"Naruto, I don't know if anyone has told you, but gentleman's clubs are full of "perverted stuff" and it is my job to make sure Sakura is adequately prepared for it."

"I know," Naruto whined, looking down at the rock he was currently toeing with his sandal before mustering his courage and pointing an accusing finger at him. "It's just that… you better not take advantage of Sakura-chan, because if you do and I find out, you can be sure that both Tsunade and me are going to kick your butt!"

Kakashi had to admire the kid's gumption, but in all honesty, the thought was a little ludicrous. He didn't want to be the one to train Sakura any more than she did, and the thought of seeing her little girl body in skimpy attire, shaking her absence of curves was going to be a little uncomfortable to say the least. Teaching her how to shake would be even worse but it was what he had been assigned to do and he would do it, with or without Naruto's threats.

"I appreciate your concern Naruto, but nothing is going to happen. I will do what I need to do, nothing more, nothing less."

For a moment the two men just stared at each other and Kakashi could feel piercing blue eyes appraising him as if he were trying to see through any lie Kakashi might be telling. Just when the Copy nin wondered if he was going to stare at him all night, Naruto thrust out his hand in an unexpected gesture and waited for his sensei to shake it.

Hesitantly, the Jounin gripped his calloused hand with his own and Naruto squeezed back.

"Take care of her Kakashi," he said softly, but earnestly as they shook hands. "This will be really difficult for her."

"I know Naruto, I will," he answered, releasing his hand and placing it back into his pocket while his other held his book.

The blonde nodded, seeming satisfied with their conversation and then out of nowhere, flashed him his usual smile.

"Well, I guess I'll see you when you get back then?"

Kakashi dipped his head in affirmation.

"All right well, goodnight!" he said before walking back the direction they had come, towards his house and his bed.

Kakashi watched his back for a moment, his mind replaying their unexpected conversation. The thought of taking advantage of Sakura honestly hadn't even crossed his mind and he chuckled softly at Naruto's overreaction. He planned to be nothing but completely professional on this trip and he assumed his partner would do the same, although he had no doubt that he would need an infinite amount of patience for the training that lay ahead in the next few days.

Sakura had been so innocent and naïve when he had first met her and he supposed in some ways she still was. She had grown battle hardened over the years and had seen her fair share of bloodshed, but as far as the wicked thoughts of men and what they desired to do to a beautiful women, he doubted she knew much more than what she had read in her medical books.

Oh, yes, he was really in for it this time around.

By now it was too dark to read since the lanterns had been put out as the townsfolk went to bed. He pocketed his book and shoved both hands in his pockets as he continued his trek back to his own apartment, knowing morning would come much too soon.

XXXXX

She knew she should be sleeping since she was in for a busy day tomorrow, but she just couldn't make her mind stop reeling with endless thoughts about the mission…and Sasuke.

She was so sick of thinking about him but she couldn't help it. His reaction today had been nothing if disheartening, although she wasn't sure what she had expected from him. For him to say he thought the idea of her dancing was sexy? That he knew she would be good at it? She knew that was preposterous but deep down she had kind of hoped that through her mortification, something good would come out of it, like Sasuke finally seeing what had been in front of him all these years.

She supposed that was far too much to ask.

Even though every fiber of her being wanted nothing to do with mission, she knew she had a lot to prove. Everyone expected her to fall flat on her face, to utterly suck at being sexy. Isn't that why Kakashi was coming along? He would coach her in how to be sexy since she apparently didn't have a clue and it was a little offensive to think she would be receiving such lessons from a man.

Sakura rolled over and huffed to herself, letting out a little of the pent up frustration she had been harboring all day.

Like it or not, she would successfully conclude this mission. She was tired of trailing behind her other team mates. Even Sai was superior to her most of the time as long as it didn't involve social interaction. She wanted to show them she was just as good, that she could do anything and do it well. And who knew? Maybe some of the tricks Kakashi would teach her would come in handy next time she saw Sasuke. Maybe by the time she came back, she would exude sex appeal and attract every guy for miles.

Sakura doubted it, but it didn't hurt to dream.

She rolled onto her back restlessly and willed herself to stop staring at the ceiling and instead shut her eyes. Gradually her breathing slowed, as did her racing thoughts and finally, Sakura was asleep.

XXXXX

Well, that's all for now. Tell me what you think of it so far. Am I off to a good start?


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys. I bring you chapter 2. Yay! I am so flattered by all the reviews I received for chapter one. It really makes me want to sit down and type out more!

As always, this fic is rated M and I don't own the characters in it.

Thanks a ton to Cynchick, Serenanna and RainbowMoonGoddess. I feel like I have my own support group!

XXXXX

Stripped Bare-Chapter 2

Just as Sakura predicted, the alarm went off far too early the next day. The sun was just beginning to peek over the hills and when she looked out her window, she was greeted with a beautiful expanse of blue-gray sky, the fluffy white clouds painted vibrant pink in the morning light.

She would have enjoyed the view a lot more if the rising sun didn't signify possibly the most dreaded mission she had ever had. She dragged her feet as she gathered everything she would need into her pack, forgoing her red hitai-ate since she would be acting as a civilian on this mission. She tossed in her hairbrush after running it through her pink locks, knowing that a full day of travel would mean a tangled mess before she would have the chance to comb it out again.

She had let her hair grow long over the past year or so and it now reached the middle of her back. It didn't get in the way so much, now that she spent more time sitting at a patient's side and healing them with chakra than fighting enemies in hand to hand combat. If she had known she would be taking a mission that required long periods of travel, she might have thought about cutting it again but there was no time for that now. She settled for plaiting it into a single long braid before going to her closet and trying to find something that didn't scream she was a shinobi.

She settled on light brown pants and a gray wrap-around top that looked like a shortened version of a yukata. She had a few full length ones but didn't wear them often because they restricted her movement. Even if she was going to be a civilian, she didn't want to have to take tiny steps all the way to Fujin Machi.

She knew she should probably eat but her frayed nerves manifesting themselves as butterflies in her stomach made food sound unappealing. She opted to grab an extra granola bar on her way out the door, figuring she would eat it while waiting around for Kakashi. Despite Tsunade's warning, he was bound to be ridiculously late anyway.

XXXXX

When she saw her mission partner's slender form leaning casually against the bridge's red railing, she was surprised to say the least. She hadn't expected her sensei to be on time, let alone be early.

'So much for eating', she thought, as she walked towards him, dragging her feet just a little.

The fact that he had beat her to the meeting spot not only meant she wouldn't be eating breakfast, but also that she wouldn't have time to prepare what she was going to say to him. Even though she had been around this man for years, training with him and trusting him with her life completely, she suddenly felt awkward and uneasy in his presence and even though she knew it was wholly attributed to her own nerves concerning the trip they were about to depart on, she couldn't banish her trepidation.

"Good morning Kakashi-senpai," she said as she approached, noting that he didn't have his nose buried in one of his disgusting books. Perhaps he had a lot on his mind as well.

"Morning, Sakura-chan," he replied, giving her a wave and an eye crease.

What was usually a simple greeting already had Sakura's mind racing with what her mission would entail. The sight of his hands encased in fingerless gloves made her wonder how many pairs of large, grubby hands would be on her naked skin, and that single dark eye of his would be resting on her practically nude form once they got to the club. The thought made her heart beat hard enough she wondered if his acute hearing might pick it up.

She shook her head to clear the images and tried to get a grip. If she was this jittery while still in Konoha, she had already failed if she couldn't get herself under control.

"Ready to go?" he asked and she nodded silently, afraid her voice might betray the panic she felt.

"Alright, let's go," Kakashi said, turning and walking towards the village gates with Sakura following behind.

"While in Fire Country, we'll travel as shinobi since the risk of encountering enemies is low and we'll make better time," he instructed as Sakura adjusted her pack on her back. "Once we get to the edge of Fire territory, we'll assume the guise of civilians for the rest of the trip and you will under no circumstances do anything that betrays your identity. Understood?"

Sakura sighed, a small pout forming on her lips. Of course she understood. It's not like she had never pretended to be a civilian before. She was to act like any other helpless female which meant no fighting, no jutsu and no healing. She would hate it, but she would do it.

"Yes, I understand," she said, exasperation taking the place of dread in her voice and Kakashi chuckled at her annoyance.

"Ok. Then let's push as hard as we can while we travel through the trees since the rest of the journey we will be forced to move slowly."

The kunoichi didn't argue as they passed through the giant green gates and into the lush forest that encompassed their village. When he took to the treetops, she was right behind him, summoning chakra to her legs to boost her powerful jump and sending her into the leafy heights after her sensei.

XXXXX

Kakashi knew broaching the topic of her training would not be an easy one, but they had been traveling for nearly half an hour and she hadn't uttered a word since they left the village. A thick and uncomfortable silence had settled around them, broken only by the wind rushing past their ears and their sandaled feet making contact with tree branches. He had expected the vibe between the two of them to be different than when they had been on missions together in the past with Naruto and Sasuke, but he hadn't expected her to clam up completely. It was becoming apparent that she wasn't about to initiate conversation about anything and so he would have to make the first move.

He slowed up slightly so she could catch up and travel with him side by side and even in his peripheral vision, he could see her mouth was set in a grim line and her eyes carefully focused on the trees ahead, avoiding him at all costs.

"Sakura," he began, dropping the affectionate surname he usually had for her. "I think it's time we start your training for this mission."

She wanted to groan in frustration. They hadn't even been traveling for an hour and he was already prepared to humiliate her. Then again, she supposed she shouldn't have been all that surprised. He had always been something of a hardass instructor.

"Kakashi, we're traveling at full speed," she said irritably. "I don't think that's exactly ideal conditions for me taking my clothes off."

Well, that was a great way to start the mission. She was already on the defensive and they hadn't even begun.

"I wasn't going to ask that of you," he said patiently, keeping his eyes ahead as well so as not to miss the next branch. "I simply want to talk with you and get you mentally prepared for what you will face. Please understand that I don't want to embarrass you but it is my duty to prepare you for future challenges. Even if it's difficult, I expect a positive attitude from you otherwise this will be much harder than it needs to be. Got it?" he said in a stern tone he hadn't had to use on her for years.

His lecture seemed to take some of the fight out of her and her voice was slightly less harsh when she answered.

"Yeah, I got it."

"Good. Now, when you are dancing, chances are, several men will offer you large amounts of money to take them into the back and give them some…er…private attention," he said, trying to find the least graphic way to put it. "In these situations, it is essential you maintain control, otherwise they will almost certainly attempt to take advantage of you."

Sakura nodded impatiently as she sprung into the air from a moss covered branch.

"I know that, but I can keep them in line."

Kakashi fought to keep from sighing. Sakura was acting every part of the typical stubborn teenager but he would have to get this information through her thick head somehow.

"That's just the thing Sakura. You can't you use brute force to get them to behave. You will have to use sensuality and cunning to control them because not only do you want them to keep their hands to themselves, but this will also be the best opportunity to get information from anyone we deem suspicious."

"Ok, so I just have to be sexy while I ask the questions," she said flatly, making it apparent she was only having this conversation because it was required and wasn't enjoying it one bit.

"No, there's more to it," he said. "You can't just throw out random questions and expect to get what you need. While some men will be brainless thugs, others will be smart and keep their guard up even when alone with you. You'll have to make small talk with them and lull them into a false sense of security, asking trivial questions while sneaking in ones that matter."

He glanced over at the pink haired woman to make sure she was listening, and while her eyes were still fixed on the trees in front of her, she was nodding in response to what he was saying. Apparently she had dropped the defensive act for a bit.

"However," he continued, "the most important thing is to be completely confident in yourself, both while dancing on stage and in the back rooms. Men are like animals and can tell when you're scared or insecure and you must not let yourself be intimidated."

That was something Sakura had learned long ago in battle and it made sense that it would apply here as well. But asking her to be fearless while so utterly exposed wouldn't be so simple.

"That will be easier said than done," she said sourly. "I would like to see you put on a G-string and act like you're perfectly comfortable."

Kakashi frowned, trying to dispel from his head both the frightening image of himself in a throng and the strangely foreign one of Sakura in similar attire.

"Being an exotic dancer means you have to be completely comfortable in your own skin," he continued, "I don't care what it takes for you to achieve that but it's something you have to do. Modesty is something you can't afford to have while you're working and the men you seduce will pounce on you if you show signs of weakness in front of them."

Sakura nodded, her trepidation heightened by his speech rather than eased. She seldom looked at herself naked in the mirror unless it was purely for assessment. She had never been one to dance around her room alone, exploring her own sensuality as Ino had claimed once to do. She was started to wish she had even though she knew she would feel utterly foolish doing so.

"You also need to be in touch with your own sensuality and sexuality. These will be your too greatest weapons and they need to be sharply honed."

Kakashi never thought he would be having this conversation with a former student, especially a female and the conversation was growing increasingly awkward. What had once been purely a teacher to student relationship was being thrown out of whack since he was now obligated to teach her about the much more mature subject of sex, a task he had never asked for and did not desire. Yet here he was, wracking his brain for the right words to say to enlighten Sakura in the least graphic way.

The kunoichi scoffed at his previous remark and he could hear the slight bitterness that crept into her voice.

"That might be a little hard for me. I don't have any sensuality."

Kakashi chuckled softly as he watched her lips form a pout.

"Sure you do. Every woman has the potential to be sensual, they just have to find it, though each is wholly unique," he said, remembering quite vividly certain encounters he'd had when women carrying several extra pounds or having faces that were less than beautiful had still managed to ooze appeal, attracting men by how they moved and spoke. If a pretty thing like Sakura could master her own way of drawing men to her, it could be quite possible that she could have her pick of any man she wanted to bring into that back room, which was exactly what they wanted for this mission to run smoothly.

"Well…even if that's true, I certainly don't have any of the second one," Sakura said softly enough that the rushing wind almost carried her words away. "I haven't even had..."

Sakura trailed off but the Jounin was pretty sure he already knew the rest of the sentence.

"Haven't had sex?" he finished, and one glance over at her beet red face confirmed it. "Yes, I thought that might be the case."

"That makes me a freak doesn't it?" she said, almost sadly and Kakashi could imagine how hard this must be for her. It was no secret that she had been patiently holding out in all things sexual, hoping the last Uchiha would finally come around and be the one to relieve her of her innocence in a tender and passionate night of love. However, Sasuke was anything but tender and passionate and certainly hadn't shown any more attraction to her than he had when he was twelve, and the kunoichi spent so much time working that any knight in shining armor that might have come along would have had to scale hospital walls before sweeping her off her feet. It was sad really. Sakura was extremely bright and had such a loving heart. She really did deserve someone to give her the fairytale she dreamed of but it was common knowledge that shinobi didn't get happy endings.

"You're not a freak," Kakashi said sincerely, "although it is unusual for a kunoichi your age to still have her virginity. I suppose we'll have to make the most of it and work on your acting skills."

Even as the cool wind whipped over her face, Sakura could feel her cheeks burning hotly. How could he be so casual about the topic? His voice was so calm that he could be talking about what he had for lunch yesterday, although she supposed that most shinobi were quite a bit more casual when it came to sex, having so many partners that they eventually lost count.

She shifted her eyes over to her teacher as she bounded from another branch and wondered just how many women Kakashi had been with in his time. Ten? Twenty? He seemed to know a lot about the art of stripping and she wondered if that was because of all the books he read or if he had frequented that many clubs. Or perhaps he had finally unraveled the mystery that was the female persona and knew how to get into their heads and explain their ways of thinking. If that was the case, then Kakashi was certainly a man to be reckoned with and no girl he pursued would even have a chance of resistance.

The second she realized she was wondering about her sensei's sex life, her blush immediately flared. She tried to push all those thoughts away and lock them deep in her mind so they couldn't resurface. Just what the hell was wrong with her anyways? She couldn't think about Kakashi like that. It was just too weird.

A few more minutes of silence passed between them and just when Sakura had hoped he would finally leave her in peace, he spoke again.

"So, you haven't had sex," he said, sounding at first like he was almost talking to himself before he asked, "If you don't mind me asking Sakura, what exactly have you done?"

Oh gods, was he really asking her this? This couldn't be happening. This could not be happening. This—oh shit.

So unnerved was she by his question that she had lost her footing on the branch she had just landed on, her sandaled feet slipping on the mossy bark and she toppled forwards towards the forest floor below.

She tried to twist her body around so she would land on her feet but she had become slightly disoriented, not quite knowing which was up and was well on her way to falling flat on her back. She would have been in for a nasty spill if two strong arms hadn't caught her effortlessly.

Emerald eyes blinked in surprise as she found herself safely cradled against Kakashi's chest, one arm supporting her behind her bent knees and the other around her shoulders. She couldn't remember him having to save her like this since she was a mere Genin and she chalked it up as one more thing to be embarrassed about.

"Are you all right?" he asked with genuine concern, knowing Sakura was far too skilled to be making such a trivial mistake. They had hardly been traveling more than an hour so her chakra reserves should be near full.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she huffed, purposely avoiding looking into his single dark eye that was currently looking at her critically. "The moss was just slippery, that's all."

Kakashi didn't buy her excuse for a second but let it slide as he gently set her down on her own two feet.

"Do you need a break?" he asked, not caring that such a question would probably wound her pride a little. They should have been able to go at least a couple more hours at top speed before needing to rest.

Sakura was just about to open her mouth in an angry retort, telling him that she was perfectly fine and to quit asking already when her stomach let out a noisy gurgle that sounded painfully loud in the quiet forest.

She went rigid, just as startled as her partner who was looking at her quizzically. She could feel the blood rush to her face and wondered if her skin would ever be its normal color again.

"Let me eat something real quick and then we can get back on the road," she muttered as she took off her pack and searched through one of the pockets for the granola bar she had stuffed inside earlier.

"You have five minutes," Kakashi said calmly as he leaned against the nearest tree and pulled out his trusty book.

He was thankful his mask covered the amused twist of his lips because he knew that if she could see it, it would only make her angrier, but her couldn't help but chuckle at her attempt to act tough, only to have it foiled by an empty belly.

Sakura bit into the crunchy bar savagely, taking out some of her frustrations on the innocent snack. Why couldn't one thing, just one little thing, go right for her? She was at a disadvantage on this mission from the start and things just seemed to keep stacking up against her. However, she supposed that some good had come from her less than graceful fall out of the trees. In the chaos, she had never actually answered his question regarding just how experienced she was in the sexual realm. As she munched thoughtfully, she sincerely hoped she would never have to.

XXXXX

After their unscheduled break, they had continued to run full tilt through the dense forests of Fire Country for another five hours until Sakura's calves and quads burned and her feet were sore.

She had no intention of complaining however because she felt she had to make up for her careless mistake earlier that morning. Conversation had been quite a bit lighter after they had resumed their journey, saving their breath instead to lengthen endurance as they both pushed their bodies hard. Sakura had secretly been ecstatic about that particular part.

When Kakashi had finally called for a break, the sun had already passed overhead and Sakura guessed it to be about one or two in the afternoon. She had been more than ready to rest her shaking muscles and get some food into her system and figured Kakashi was hungry as well.

As they ate, he further discussed interrogation tactics with her, explaining how in some situations in was best to ask questions casually, sometimes even flippantly while other times would require firmer, but in her case, still flirtatious approaches.

Much of what he said was review from other general training she had undergone but she was more than happy to listen and ask the occasional question. After all, this was far less personal than their earlier conversation and she was especially grateful for it. She knew she was by no means through with discussing the more intimate topics with Kakashi but she was hoping to delay it as long as possible. After all, it had been some time, years in fact, since this man had been her teacher and once she had started training as Tsunade's apprentice, she saw him next to never, considering he abhorred hospitals and that was where she always was. It was odd to have the occasional mission together and then not see each other for months and then suddenly be flung together into such a compromising situation. Kakashi hadn't really changed since he was her teacher, but she had changed a lot, and that made it a little difficult to sort out what their new relationship exactly was.

He was in charge of this mission, clearly making her his subordinate, and yet she would have the biggest role in the operation. He wasn't really her teacher anymore, but on this mission he was, instructing her in activities far more mature than tree climbing. It was all very confusing, and Sakura Haruno didn't like being confused and that only added to the long list of things that seemingly were conspiring against her to make certain she would return to Konoha a failure.

After lunch and their brief discussion, they were on the move again, flying through the trees at top speed. Kakashi didn't attempt to ask her anymore embarrassing questions and Sakura didn't fall out of any more trees.

She kept her eyes focused on the next branch, scanning the surrounding area with her chakra for any possible threats as she jumped from tree to tree until the sun went down and she lost all track of time.

Her body was starting to throb with the exertion of their travels and she realized that working inside the hospital had perhaps taken the edge off her once razor sharp combat skills and excessive stamina. Practicing in the training fields a couple times a week wasn't enough to keep herself in shape because she could feel herself becoming weaker with every bound to another branch. Expert medic or not, she simply hadn't been out of Konoha on a mission in too damn long.

Kakashi could tell she was reaching her limits as he sensed her chakra signature wavering as she began to draw from the last of her reserves. They had at least another day and a half of travel before they would reach Fire Country's borders and he didn't want to completely exhaust her the first day.

At the next clearing he saw, he jumped down from the tree tops and landed in a silent crouch on the forest floor. They would make camp here for the night and continue in the morning.

He heard Sakura's sigh of relief as she landed behind him, obviously glad to be calling it a day. A small smile tugged at his lips as he remembered how she had made the same sounds after traveling a quarter of the distance they had covered today back when team seven was in its infancy. Times certainly had changed.

"How's your body?" he asked as he moved past her to search for dry branches he could use to start a fire.

The question was completely innocent and as a medic, she should have recognized the question for what it was: an inquiry about the condition her muscles and chakra after traveling at a grueling pace all day. However, that wasn't the first thing that popped into her head and she found herself blushing again at the thought of Kakashi asking that same question with quite a different connotation, even though she knew that's not what he meant.

Frowning at her own immaturity, she brushed the dirty thoughts aside and answered him with a surprisingly steady voice.

"I'm fine. I'll probably be sore tomorrow though."

Kakashi nodded as he picked a dead branch out of the underbrush.

"Stretch well tonight. We'll be moving just as fast tomorrow."

Sakura couldn't help but smile a little at his words as she braced her hands against the tree she was facing and moved her left leg back to produce a welcome stretch in her calf. He was still a hardass instructor. No doubt about it.

In minutes, Kakashi had gathered enough wood to pile in the center of the clearing and with a simple jutsu, had a fire burning in no time. Sakura sat down near the blaze, basking in the warmth it radiated. It felt good to relax in front of the fire but it didn't beat a hot shower. After running hard all day, she was covered in a thin sheet of sweat and grime that she probably wouldn't get to remove for another few days; something else she had grown unaccustomed to while being spoiled behind hospital walls with indoor plumbing.

As she stretched her legs straight out in front of her and pressed her nose to her knees while touching her toes, Kakashi sat down across from her, watching her stretch out her hamstrings through the crackling fire.

He hadn't talked with her about her mission nearly as much as he had wanted to but there was only so much conversing one could do while running top speed. He was also looking forward to their upcoming conversations about as much as she was, which was not at all.

It was so awkward to talk with a girl who had just recently entered the stage of womanhood about such adult things, especially when that girl was still inherently innocent and a former pupil.

He would have to do it sooner or later though and the sooner he got it over with, the sooner he could stop worrying about it. As much as he wanted to get it out of the way, he knew it was already late and now was not an ideal time. However, there was just one thing he wanted to know now.

"Sakura, you never answered the question I asked you earlier today," he said as he fished a bag of dried and salted meat out of his pack.

He saw her tense before hesitantly lifting her head and disrupting her stretch.

"And what question would that be?"

She knew what it was. He knew she knew what it was. And she knew he knew she knew what it was, but he humored her anyway.

"You've informed me you're a virgin," he said, meeting her eyes through the dancing flames of the fire. "But that doesn't mean you haven't done…other things."

Kakashi didn't really want to describe what "other things" exactly entailed and he figured that if she didn't already know, that would answer his question anyways. He prayed she already knew.

Well, shit. She thought she had escaped this question but it figured she wouldn't be off the hook that easily. There would be no distractions like falling out of a tree this time. It was time for more embarrassing conversation. Oh goody.

"Well…" she said, tucking her legs underneath her and placing her hands in her lap, her eyes dropping down and apparently finding her upturned palms incredibly interesting as she refused to meet his glance. "I've kissed and stuff."

'And stuff' unfortunately wasn't going to cut it.

"Could you be a little more specific?" Kakashi inquired, wondering if the rosy glow she had acquired was because of the firelight or from a very prominent blush.

Sakura bit her lip nervously. If he was worried about the mission before, he was really going to sweat when he heard this. Sakura closed her eyes as she spoke the next words.

"You know…hugging…and…handholding."

For a moment there was no sound except the chirping of the insects in the woods and the crackling of the fire. Sakura cracked open an eye to see if her sensei had abandoned all hope and fled into the woods but he was just sitting their silently, looking at her with an expression she couldn't decipher thanks to his mask.

"I see," he said after another painfully silent moment, his voice betraying nothing about how he felt, much to Sakura's chagrin.

They continued to stare at each other through the curtain of flames, neither moving even when a piece of wood deep within the pile popped and sent a shower of orange sparks into the air.

"So, you've never…touched a man anywhere that would be considered…intimate?"

Sakura hung her head, suddenly more ashamed of her chastity than proud of it.

"No."

"And no man has ever touched you like that?"

'Like any man would ever want to,' she thought bitterly before answering a simple "No."

"And you have never undressed in front of a man in a sensual manner?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. Did he want to know her blood type while he was at it?

"Kakashi, what do you think?" she said, her words carrying a biting edge as she looked up to meet his one-eyed gaze.

"Just humor me."

"No. I haven't."

He could see anger in those green eyes and perhaps a little sadness as well. Sadness at living nineteen years and never knowing a man's touch, or sadness that when a man finally did touch her, it wouldn't be a loving caress but the rough grab of a dirty stranger's hand? He didn't know for sure and didn't think he wanted to. All he knew was that she had confirmed this mission would indeed be just as difficult as he had anticipated. He would have to start at the very bottom of things and he wanted some time to sort out his thoughts a little.

"Thank you for being honest with me Sakura," he said softly as he picked himself off the ground to stand tall…well, as tall as his slouch would allow. "I understand these are not easy questions for you to answer."

He resisted the urge to reach over and ruffle her hair like he used to, the pink strands looking more orange in the glow of the fire. She was not a child anymore and the sooner he stopped thinking of her like one, the better, especially considering what was waiting for her at the club.

Sakura nodded silently and propped her chin on a knee that was drawn up to her chest. She was staring into the fire silently, her green eyes reflecting the crackling flames and for a moment, he could imagine a similar fire burning deep within her, the flame he had witnessed as a tiny spark when she had first been his student. It had grown under his tutelage and it had raged into a mighty flame as she continued training with Tsunade. That flame was her burning desire to be strong and capable as a kunoichi and later a medic and above all, a person. And that blaze was too willful, too passionate to be the ambition of a girl, but was that of a woman. Perhaps Sakura was more grown up than he thought, and he smiled beneath his mask as he watched her stare unseeing into the fire.

"Get some rest Sakura," he said calmly, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I'm going to go check the perimeter and then settle down as well. I don't think we'll have to worry about many threats this close to home."

Her eyes flicked from the fire to his lanky form and she gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Ok, Kakashi-sensei,"

She hadn't even realized she had slipped back into the habit of calling him her teacher but it didn't go by the Jounin unnoticed. He turned and walked away to the edge of the clearly, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

When Naruto called him "sensei", Kakashi felt quite a bit older than his thirty-five years of age, but for some reason, when Sakura had done the same thing just now, he felt a small amount of pride stir in his chest that yes, she was in fact his student. It was true the majority of her improvement had come from Tsunade's one-on-one tutelage but he had been her first teacher after the academy and she had turned into quite a capable kunoichi…well…capable in some areas anyways. As awkward as it may be, he hoped he could coach her into being proficient in other areas as well, for as her teacher, her successes were his successes and her failures were his to share as well. The entirety of this mission rested on his ability to teach and her ability to apply. In reality, it was quite a lot of pressure, but nothing the former ANBU couldn't handle. He just hoped she was up for the challenge as well.

XXXXX

Sakura watched Kakashi's back as he disappeared into the trees beyond the clearing, sighing to herself gently. He was probably going off to curse Tsunade and whatever god had saddled him with the impossible task of teaching her to be a seductress. She couldn't even remember the last time she even felt sexy, let alone acted it.

She pulled the hair tie from the bottom of her braid and ran her fingers through it until it was falling around face her in waves. She pulled the brush from her pack and began to run it through the long strands while she thought back over the day's events.

She had never really been that open with anyone before, not with Ino and perhaps not even with herself. She didn't like to dwell on the fact that she didn't have the experience that many kunoichi her age did, and while she knew that choosing the path of a ninja meant sacrificing many things, she still held stubbornly onto that storybook ideal that she would find love some day. She had never really pictured a future with that man, and knew she would never have children or a white picket fence. However, she had always imagined that when she at last let a man claim her body, it would be because he already had her heart. This mission was a rude awakening to the realities of being a kunoichi, and how there was no place in her profession for something as whimsical as true love.

Sakura coiled her hair into a tight bun before wrapping the tie around it to make it secure. She pulled out the heavy shawl she was planning to wear once they got into neutral territory and pulled it over herself, tucking the thick material around her shoulders as she curled up next to the fire.

Once again her thoughts turned to Sasuke, the dancing flames reminding her of his fire based attacks. She wanted so badly for him to be the answer to her happy ending. She thought he was everything she wanted in a man, handsome, proud, an elite shinobi…but there was so much darkness in him. Even after he had returned to Konoha with his vengeance complete, there was just something about him that sometimes made her nervous. He had spent too much time in the company of demons and it had changed him in a way that could perhaps never be repaired. She wanted to be the one to heal him, but even after all the medical jutsu she had perfected, there were none that could heal a wound of the heart.

Sakura felt her eyelids growing heavy and allowed herself to succumb to sleep. Sleep seemed like a blissful alternative to reality and her deep and dreamless slumber offered her the refuge she sought, even if only for a little while.

XXXXX

Kakashi finished a wide, circular walk around their makeshift camp and had found nothing unusual. The biggest threat to them at the moment was a small pack of wolves many miles off but he was fairly certain the animals would leave them undisturbed.

Walking around gave him time to think and he had a lot of thoughts to process.

Sakura was a virgin in every sense of the word. She had done nothing but kiss and even then he didn't imagine it ever got hot and heavy. That would make it not only conceptually more difficult for him to teach her but morally as well. He hated the idea of practically throwing her clean and untouched body to the ravenous beasts lurking in the Fuzen Machi clubs but that was the way it had to be. He would have to make sure she knew how to both subdue and appease them and that was something a little girl most certainly could not do.

Sakura would need every ounce of woman she had in her to make it back from this mission alive.

By now his footsteps had brought him back to the clearing and he could see that Sakura had fallen asleep by the fire.

Quietly, he made his way back over to her smaller form and piled a few more branches onto the flames before taking a seat beside her. In the flickering firelight, he was able to study her carefully now that she was unaware of him doing so.

Her face was still youthful and bright, unmarred by the hard lines that would come with too many frowns. Her skin seemed to glow in the luminous orange light and she certainly looked as innocent as she claimed; a fairytale princess waiting for her prince's kiss. Kakashi knew better of course, for this particular flower was anything but delicate and packed a punch harder than a fistful of exploding tags.

But even so, could someone like her really pull this off? He couldn't imagine her adopting the persona of a hardened and jaded club dancer, willing to do anything that gave men their kicks as long as they were willing to pay upfront for it.

Could those big green eyes turn sultry and those feminine fingers beckon for a drooling thug to give her some green and try his luck? Kakashi certainly hoped so because he would be the one instructing her how.

As he watched her sides steadily rise and fall with every breath his eyes were, for some reason, drawn to her lips; lips that were full and pink and looked rather soft, lips that were slightly parted and looked absolutely delectable, like they were soundlessly calling to be kissed.

A woman's lips.

The thought was gone as soon as it had come, leaving Kakashi incredibly perplexed to where the hell that had come from in the first place, but also gave him a spark of hope. If she had been able to unconsciously light even the tiniest spark of desire in him, maybe there was a chance for her after all. But then he would be left with the conundrum of desiring what he couldn't have and shouldn't want in the first place.

It was all very confusing and Kakashi had had enough of sorting out his thoughts for the night. Deciding that even Icha Icha couldn't soothe him, he lay down on his side and allowed himself to fall into a light slumber, leaving the fire to burn itself into ashes in the night.

XXXXX

The shinobi pair was up with the sun and on the move only minutes later, after destroying all evidence of their camp.

Judging by the breakneck speed that Kakashi had set for them, he wasn't planning on having a conversation that elaborated on last nights awkward exchange. That was just fine with Sakura, although she couldn't help but wonder what he thought about all of it. Between his mask and his ability to keep his emotions hidden, it was impossible to guess his opinions on the issue or speculate what he intended to do about it.

She was curious alright, but not quite curious enough to ask him about it, so she stayed silent and followed him closely through the thick forest, trying to ignore that despite ample stretching last night, her sore muscles were already protesting.

One hour became two, and then four, and then six, and just when Sakura didn't think she could go anymore, Kakashi called for a break.

Even during their short meal Kakashi didn't try to strike up a conversation, mission related or otherwise and she wondered if perhaps what she had told him last night had upset him or made him angry, although she didn't think she had told him anything he hadn't already expected. She didn't care to ask either because she was too busy trying to get some food into her system as well as use minimal chakra to try and drain the soreness from her muscles without depleting her reserves.

As soon as they had eaten, they were back on the road again.

They continued on like this for several more hours, the silence between them stretching from comfortable into slightly awkward, at least from Sakura's perspective and she finally couldn't take it anymore. Even though she wasn't particularly looking forward to her training, she knew it was something she needed to do, for showing up to the club unprepared would be even worse than discussing perverse things with her teacher.

"Hey Kakashi-senpai," she said, lengthening the distance of her next bound so she was side by side with him. "When are you going to train me? You've hardly said a word to me all day."

Kakashi give her a quizzical glance and Sakura thought she saw his lips form a smile beneath his mask.

"Why, are you eager for a lesson?" he asked, his voice clearly holding a teasing tone.

Sakura rolled her eyes and bounded from another branch.

"No, but I mean, it's your job isn't it? I don't want to show up to Fuzen Machi clueless."

Kakashi chuckled softly.

"Well, like you said, running at top speed through the trees makes it a little difficult to train right? We're making excellent time and if we keep it up, we should make it to a small town at Fire Country's border soon. We won't have to sleep outside and I can train you then. Deal?"

"Deal," she said, both excited at the prospect of sleeping in a bed and nervous about being shut in a private room with Kakashi where he could make her do whatever he deemed necessary as part of her training.

"Good, in the meantime, think over what I told you yesterday. The part about confidence and being in control of the situation will come in to play."

Sakura nodded before letting herself drop back behind him and even though she was moving quickly, Kakashi could see she was nervous. If she was hoping for more talk, she was going to be disappointed because there was only so much he could say before she would have to put his theories to the test and actually apply them.

Making her do just that was one more thing he mentally added to the long list of things he really didn't want to do on this mission, but dwelling on it would solve nothing, and so he cleared his mind and focused on traveling in the direction that would bring him to their next destination: Fire Country's border.

XXXXX

Kakashi hadn't been kidding when he said the town was small. It only had one main road that wasn't even paved. There was one general store and a handful of homes and nobody seemed to be out and about, but perhaps that was because the sun had set several hours ago and it was starting to get late. Sakura was surprised they had an inn at all considering few visitors ever passed through this place.

She wasn't about to complain though because the fare was cheap and as they were led to their room, she noted the establishment seemed to be clean and above all, they had a shower, something you couldn't always count on at the mangy fleabag inns she had often stayed at.

Upon entering, she noticed that the room was small with a single bed, but that was fine; she had had to share beds with the men on her team before, although Naruto usually hogged all the covers and Sasuke slept at the very edge as if he were trying to sleep as far away from her as possible. She had even shared a bed with Kakashi on a few occasions but they were all very uneventful. He had remained perfectly still in his sleep and had kept his hands to himself, unlike Naruto who had made the mistake of spooning up against her once in the middle of a dream. The fact that he had no idea what he was doing was no excuse in Sakura's book and the poor blond had found himself sporting a nasty bump on his head where her fist had connected with his skull and a sore butt from being tossed onto the floor, his pillow and a spare blanket following after him.

Sakura plopped on the bed and pulled off her sandals, wiggling her toes and trying to ease her tired feet.

"You can take a shower first," Kakashi said as he stripped off his pack and set it on the lone chair in the room. "I'll go get us something to eat before everything is closed."

Sakura didn't have to be told twice and she immediately grabbed her bag and hopped off the bed. The bathroom was small as well, hardly having enough room for the door to open inward. There was a toilet, a sink and possibly the smallest shower she had ever seen, but as long as the water was hot, she didn't give a damn.

She cranked on the water and within minutes, the room was filled with steam. She stripped off her clothes but figured she might as well rinse them out in the shower while she was at it for they were dirty and sweaty and she seriously doubted this place had laundry facilities.

After pulling the tie from her hair, she stepped into the shower, sighing in bliss as the hot droplets immediately pelted her weary body and washed away the remaining soreness in her shoulders, back and legs.

She hoped Kakashi wasn't going to return with their food for a while, because she currently felt like this tiny steam filled box was a little slice of heaven, and she wasn't planning on getting out any time soon.

XXXXX

When Kakashi returned to the room with two large sandwiches, he wasn't surprised that Sakura was still in the shower. She wasn't the first female he had met that could spend all day in there and he honestly didn't understand why. What did they do in there that took them forty-five minutes? The only time he was in the shower that long was when there was a woman in there with him and he knew that was hardly the case with Sakura. Sure she had a lot of hair to wash and legs to shave, but that shouldn't take that long should it?

Kakashi sat in the lone chair and decided not to even try and figure out female logic. It was true he had known this particular girl a long time, but that didn't make her any easier to figure out.

He had nearly finished his sandwich by the time he heard her turn off the water and was licking mustard from his fingers when she finally emerged, dressed in an oversized T-shirt and tight black shorts that looked a lot like the ones she always wore under her pink skirt. Her long hair was down and Kakashi found he actually kind of liked it, although he could see why she would always put it up for practical reasons.

"Took you long enough," he teased. "I thought you drowned in there and I would have to go in after you."

Sakura stuck out her tongue at him as he handed her a sandwich and stood from his chair. For some reason, his good natured comment brought forth a ridiculous image of her slipping and hitting her head on the shower wall, only to have Kakashi rush in and save her, carrying her wet…and naked body in his arms. Oh hell, where had that come from? Sakura was glad his back was turned to her because she had a feeling her face was flushing again. All their perverted talk from yesterday was corrupting her brain.

"There's also a cookie in the paper bag for you," Kakashi said as he pulled clean clothes out of his pack.

"A cookie?" she answered incredulously. What was she, five?

"Yeah, women love chocolate don't they? The shop had one left and I thought of you," he said, giving her a jovial eye crease before shutting the bathroom door.

Sakura sighed at his antics as she heard the water turn on. She wasn't sure if he was being a smartass or if he was just being nice. Maybe, he had managed to be a little of both.

She unwrapped the foil to discover a very meaty roast beef sandwich, piled high with every vegetable she could ever want. There was probably a farming community near by if this tiny town had all of these things available to them. She took a bite and practically moaned in pleasure. This was so much better than beef jerky and granola bars.

She sat on the edge of the bed and ate quietly, not realizing how hungry she had been until now. Despite the generous portion size, she finished it all. She went to go pull a napkin out of the paper bag and saw the cookie Kakashi had been talking about: a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips, no…chocolate chunks was more like it, and as much as she hated to admit it, she did happen to love chocolate and that cookie was looking absolutely divine.

She had nearly finished it when Kakashi walked though the door, dressed in a pair of dark pants and of course the form fitting black tank with attached mask. Sakura couldn't remember seeing him without his long sleeved shirt before. Even on blazing hot days he kept it on and the few times they had gone to hot springs or bath houses on missions, the facilities were never co-ed, which was just fine with her. She didn't need to be naked in a hot spring with her teacher, thank you very much. But even on just his bare arms, she could see pale scars of battles past, some minor and some massive and on his left bicep was the slightly faded tattoo that all ANBU members bore. She noticed that despite his lean appearance, his arms were nothing but tight, corded muscle, but she should have known that considering she had already seen demonstrations of his massive strength. If his arms looked like that, what did the rest of his body look like?

"How's the cookie?" he asked with a chuckle, breaking Sakura out of her thoughts.

She realized he was looking at her hands where only a bite remained and she could tell from his voice that he was smiling under the mask. Suddenly, she had an idea.

"It's amazing," she smiled. "Do you want the last bite?"

"No thanks," he said as he walked over to the chair, propping a foot on the seat to roll up the cuffs of his pants since he didn't have the usual bandages around his ankles.

"All right, but you're missing ouuuut," she said in a sing song voice.

Kakashi finished rolling his second cuff and fixed her with his gaze, which was a bit more intense considering his Sharingan was uncovered.

He slowly straightened and walked over to her and Sakura's smile melted off her face as he took her wrist of the hand holding the last bite of cookie in his long fingered grasp. She watched as he leaned down until he his mouth was practically brushing her fingers and Sakura fought the urge to swallow hard.

Suddenly, his free hand yanked down his mask over his lips and he snatched the cookie from her finger with his mouth. By the time Sakura had realized what had happened, his mask was back in place and he had released her wrist.

She stared at him wide eyed as he chewed thoughtfully.

"Hmm, that is a good cookie. Thank you, Sakura."

For a moment, she just stared at him with her mouth agape before she finally summoned her wits…well, a few of them anyways, to point an accusing finger at her smug looking sensei.

"Y-you cheated!"

Kakashi chuckled at her flabbergasted face, knowing full well her plan was to try and see his uncovered face all along.

"How did I cheat? I don't recall there being any rules to eating a cookie, Sakura."

"But…you were so sneaky!" she pouted.

"Um…ninja," he said, pointing to himself as if to remind her that being sneaky was part of his job.

Well, she couldn't argue with him there.

"And speaking of ninja," Kakashi continued I think we should continue with your training before turning in for the night."

Sakura's pout instantly disappeared and her back slumped a bit into a slouch that resembled her teacher's quite a bit.

"Just now when I got close you seemed quite nervous and I can tell you don't like your personal space being invaded. That little test has given some insight to what we need to do."

Sakura inwardly grumbled. Damn Kakashi and his secret ulterior motives. That was the last time she ever offered him a cookie!

"We need to get you over that fear," he said seriously. "You need to be completely comfortable in extremely close proximity with men, especially in a sensual atmosphere."

Sakura didn't like where this was going at all.

She watched as Kakashi went back to the chair and turned it around so it was facing her. He sat down in it and looked at her steadily. He didn't like this next part any more than she did. It would be awkward and strange but the best way to give her some hands on experience…quite literally.

He took a deep breath and said, "Sakura, you are going to give me a lap dance."

XXXXX

Alright, that's all for now. Please don't hate me for the cliffhanger.

J-Pop


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone! I bring you another chapter! I start school a week from today so my updating might become a little more erratic so enjoy this while you can!

I don't own Naruto and this story contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare-Chapter3

He took a deep breath and said, "Sakura, you are going to give me a lap dance."

He was expecting an infuriated outburst, and maybe for her to even throw something at him, but she just sat there unmoving, looking at him evenly.

Finally she said, "You're not serious."

"Yes Sakura, I am."

More silence.

Kakashi was a patient man, but he couldn't wait for her all night.

"Sakura, you ne—"

"There is no fucking way I'm giving you a lap dance," she said, her voice holding more conviction than Kakashi had heard her use before.

The Jounin sighed. It figured nothing would be easy, oh no. That wouldn't be in keeping with the theme of this whole damn mission.

"Sakura, would you rather practice on a perfect stranger? Because I'm pretty sure I can find someone willing, although I'm not sure they'll be a gentleman about it."

"I'm not giving you a lap dance Kakashi," she repeated.

"I'm in charge of your training and you'll do as I say," he said firmly, tired of arguing with her but still trying to be gentle. He didn't want her to resent him for this.

"Kakashi…" she started, but then didn't know what to say. Every fiber of her being rebelled against this, and yet, she knew she would just have to do it.

"You don't have to take anything off," he assured. "I'm just going to coach you through some basic things you can do and let you get used to being this close to me, ok?"

It was a blow to both her pride and her modesty, but Sakura finally consented, groaning aloud as she got off the bed. She walked in front of him and stood awkwardly, not meeting his gaze.

"Now what?"

"A big part of seduction is making the man believe you like what you are doing to them. Even if you hate every moment of it, you can't let them know, ok?"

"Ok," Sakura said, still looking at the floor.

"Now sway your hips a little."

Sakura bit her lip, certain she was going to die of embarrassment, but let her hips move side to side minutely.

"Good, now a little bigger."

Sakura increased her movement only slightly and Kakashi knew she was going to need a little help.

Without warning, he placed his hands on her hips and began to guide her in slow, sumptuous sways. He was surprised to find that the curve of her hip was actually quite prominent against his palm but he hadn't noticed it in her baggy T-shirt.

Sakura gasped as he touched her, face reddening drastically as he showed her how to move. The movement felt ridiculously huge but she allowed him to control her, knowing he was far more knowledgeable in this area than she was.

"Good, Sakura, now try doing this on your own," he said as he let go, releasing her hips and sitting back in his chair to watch her.

She kept up the slow swivel of her hips but her arms remained stiff and unmoving.

"Do something with your arms," he commanded gently. "Try playing with your hair."

Sakura hesitantly let her fingers sweep over her scalp, combing through her pink tresses.

"Do it again," he said. "Tip your head back like you would in the shower."

Sakura gave him a strange glance but did as she was told, keeping up the steady sway of her hips and letting her head fall back as if she were washing shampoo from her hair as she ran her fingers through it.

She was unaware that the action put an arch in her back and pushed her chest forward, and Kakashi was surprised at the appetizing picture she suddenly made. Maybe she wasn't as bad at this as they both thought.

"That's very good Sakura," he said sincerely. "Now run your hands down your sides."

She did, but it was a fleeting impersonal touch, as if she were uncomfortable touching her own body and Kakashi shook his head.

"Do it again, but slower this time. Act like you love the feel of your own skin and this action will make the man you're dancing for imagine it's his hands on you instead. If you act like you're enjoying it, then he's going to picture himself liking the way you feel as well."

"You want me to…touch myself?" Sakura asked, her hips stilling as she looked at him uncertainly.

It sounded so wrong when she put it that way but it was what it was.

"Yes," Kakashi answered calmly. "And I want you to like it."

"You're such a pervert," Sakura growled as she brought her hands to her shoulders and smoothed them down her sides.

"That's why I got this mission," he said with a smile as he watched her.

Kakashi noticed her hands flared out at her bust and he realized she must have some other curves he previously hadn't taken the time to notice. Then again, if she wore bindings all the time, she could probably manage to appear nearly flat.

Her hands moved slowly and she seemed to really be feeling the curves of her own body as opposed to before when it was just an empty movement.

"Better," he said. "Now do it again with the same arch in your back you had before."

Sakura complied and the effects were immediate, her pink hair cascading down her back as she ached into her own hands.

"I feel stupid," she replied meekly, feeling a little like a stranger in her own skin.

"You don't look stupid," Kakashi replied honestly. "You're doing fine."

Sakura sighed dejectedly despite his assurances. She still felt awkward as all hell trying to be sexy but hoped that, like all other things, she would improve with practice

"Do the same thing again, but add your hips back into it."

The kunoichi began to move her pelvis again, and though her movements weren't as big as when Kakashi had guided her, the action coupled with her wandering hands and arched back was enough to send a stab of heat through his gut, a very unwelcomed heat.

"Excellent," Kakashi said. "That was actually rather sexy."

Sakura turned absolutely scarlet and looked away.

She couldn't remember anybody ever telling her she was sexy, and she wasn't quite sure how to react.

"All right, lets move on," Kakashi said before patting his thigh. "Have a seat."

Sakura just looked at him as if he had lost his mind and so the masked man helped her along by leaning forward and pulling her hips towards him, causing her to straddle his lap as she faced him.

"Kakashi!" she squealed as she fell against him, finding herself looking directly into his mismatched eyes and her body molded to his.

"This is what we have to get you comfortable with," he said, keeping a firm hold on the back of her thighs just in case she should decide to bolt.

"This is so weird," Sakura said, turning away and wishing her cheeks would just stop burning already.

"Just relax," Kakashi commanded. "We'll take this slow. We can just stay like this until you're ready for more."

The second the words were out of his mouth he felt his own face grow a little warm, for he distinctly remembered saying those exact words to a woman in bed. For a moment, Kakashi's mind played a horrible trick and replaced that woman's face with Sakura's, her big green eyes clouded with lust as she felt him penetrate her body. Kakashi clenched his jaw and banished the thought immediately. It was completely unprofessional to think of his student that way. She was trusting him and he would not betray her, determined to act every bit the gentleman he said he would be.

At first she just sat stiffly against him until he gradually felt a little of the tension drain out of her. He could feel her heart beating madly against his own chest and was tempted to run a soothing hand over her back but refrained. The movement might make things worse instead of better.

"Sakura, I want you to put your hands on my shoulders," he said gently and she did so without a word, although it was clear she had no intention of turning her face back towards him.

"Look at me," he said. "You're face is very pretty and most men will want to see it."

Her cheeks were already so red that she doubted he could see the effects of his compliment on her, but her stomach fluttered a little at his words. She had never thought of herself as all that pretty since her big forehead had been her defining feature, but if Kakashi, who had seen numerous beautiful girls, thought she was pretty, then maybe she wasn't all that bad looking after all.

Sakura shyly turned to face him, flicking downcast eyes from his lap to his face.

"Good girl," Kakashi said, his lips smiling gently under his mask. "Now, I'm going to ask you to do some things that you probably won't like, but it's pretty much standard when giving a lap dance. Just do your best, ok?"

"Ok," she said, her voice practically a whisper as she tried to distract herself by looking into his inactive Sharingan which she hardly ever got to see.

"I want you to rub your body against me," he said calmly, even though on the inside he was indeed feeling like the pervert Sakura had accused him of being. "Do it slowly and gently for now."

At his command, she was suddenly aware of how close their bodies were, how warm their bodies were and how intimate their position was. It made her want to push him away and get the hell out of there but at the same time, she was a tiny bit curious as she what it would feel like to touch a man like this. She would just have to try and forget the fact that it was Kakashi.

Hesitantly, she slid up against him, letting her breasts rub over the hard plane of his chest. Kakashi released her thighs and allowed her to move as she wanted, no longer worried about her trying to run.

As she continued to rub up and down, her movements got a little bolder. She was pressing down on his shoulders for leverage as she used her hips to grind up and down, concentrating more on the movement of her torso than the more embarrassing possibilities of her hips. She was looking to the side again since there was no way she could do something this intimate while looking him in the eye. It was just too weird.

Her movements were a little awkward at first but he let her continue and she gradually found a rhythm, rubbing against him like an overgrown cat. He was quite aware that she was not wearing anything under her T-shirt and could feel the soft flesh of her breasts press against him through the thin fabric. Her hips were moving in a subtle grind and though her ministrations were soft, they were succeeding in stirring a heat within him.

"You're doing good," he complimented, his voice a little huskier than before. "If you wanted information from the man you were dancing for, now would be a good time to ask him questions while he's distracted. Whisper them against his ear so he can feel your breath. Go ahead and try it on me."

Sakura faltered in her grinding for a moment, but picked it up again as she leaned forward, her mouth close to his ear.

"Like this?" she murmured and Kakashi had to suppress a shiver as her warm breath washed over him.

"Yeah, like that," he ground out. "Keep going."

"So I can ask you anything I want?" she said, her voice surprisingly low, the perfect tone for seduction.

"Sure," Kakashi said, his bare toes curling into the carpet and his hands balling into fists at his side.

"Why do you always wear that mask?"

Kakashi smirked at her question. He should have known he would ask him that since all three of his students had been curious about it for years.

"I think it looks rather fashionable, don't you?" he chuckled softly, refusing to give her a straight answer.

"You're lying," she murmured, her voice dropping even lower and Kakashi could have sworn he felt her lips brush teasingly over the shell of his ear, whether by accident or mistake. Well, it looks like she didn't need anymore help with that.

Kakashi placed his own hands on her shoulders and pushed her back so she could look at him, his fingers gripping her a little tighter than necessary. He didn't want to admit it, but she had managed to get him a little more worked up than he had expected and he supposed it was a good thing, although it made him feel a bit guilty.

"That was very good for a first try Sakura. Did you notice the pitch of your voice when you asked your questions? That's exactly how you want to speak during the real thing, low and sultry."

Actually, Sakura had not been aware of her voice, she had just lowered it because there was no need to shout in his ear.

"I-I was sultry?" she asked in amazement, hardly able to believe she was capable of such a thing.

"Yes," Kakashi answered, chuckling at her amazement. "I'm impressed. Since you're doing so well, I'm going to have you do one more thing."

"What?" Sakura asked, momentarily forgetting she was straddling her sensei and practicing for her role as a stripper with him.

"You are going to…rub your breasts against my face."

Sakura's face fell and her mouth pressed into a grim line. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she said, "Kakashi, that's not funny."

He held up his hands in defense, a little afraid he was going to get punched.

"I know it's not, but it's what women do when performing a lap dance."

Sakura just continued to stare at him and if looks could kill, he would be a corpse by now.

"I'm serious about this," he said evenly. "I wouldn't do this just to humiliate or take advantage of you. If the man you are interrogating has tight lips, doing this to him just might loosen him up, and almost all club's rules state that the man cannot touch you while you are dancing for him. The same will apply with me."

Sakura looked him over for a moment longer. She knew what he was saying was true because she trusted he wouldn't lie to her, but she wasn't sure if she was ready for this. If arching her back and shaking her hips had made her feel awkward and stupid, she didn't even want to know what this was going to feel like.

Finally, she pushed down on his shoulders and lifted her hips off his lap so his chest was level with his face.

"If you tell a soul about this, you are going to die," she threatened before pressing against him.

"On, my honor as a ninja," came his muffled reply as he suddenly found himself buried in the softness of Sakura's breasts.

At first, she wasn't exactly sure what do, so she drew back slightly and pressed forward again.

"Don't be so aggressive unless you're sure your customer likes it that way," Kakashi said, pushing her back slightly. "You don't want to suffocate them."

'That would require bigger boobs than what I have.' Sakura thought with a degree of annoyance but instead of verbalizing her thoughts, she shifted so her right breast could rub against his left cheek.

"Better?" she asked as she began to slide up and down.

"Yes," was all Kakashi could say, because in fact, she was doing a little too well in his personal opinion and his body was becoming increasingly hotter with her every move.

He imagined how silky her breasts would be under that dark T-shirt, and how they would actually look. The second those treacherous thoughts crossed his mind, he drove them away, only to have them persistently return as she continued to press her chest to his cheek.

"So, why was it you wore that mask again?" she said, her voice once again taking on that sexy tone and this time, it sent a flare of heat directly to his loins.

"I have a skin condition," he panted out, realizing he was no longer able to control his breathing as much as he would have liked.

Sakura was perfectly knowledgeable in the side effects of arousal. She was a medicafter all, and though she knew on some level that she was indeed turning him on, she was more concerned with getting the answer she had wanted the entire time she had been with Team Seven.

"How about you try telling me the truth this time," she persisted, the angle of her body causing her breast to stray dangerously close to Kakashi's mouth.

"If you are too relentless in your…uh…questioning, they will know something is up and become suspicious, especially if they are indeed guilty," the Copy Nin said, finding it a little more difficult to keep his thoughts gathered considering he could feel his pulse in his crotch and he was doing his best to keep the blood out of that particular area.

Sakura grumbled, annoyed that he was still all business instead of relenting and giving her the answer she wanted.

"Then what do I do then, say 'pretty please'?" she asked.

Kakashi felt something small and hard brush the corner of his mouth and it took him a second to realize that it was in fact, her hardened nipple! Apparently all that rubbing had caused her body to react as well and her T-shirt did little to conceal the effects. The thought of her hardened nipples rubbing along his face, especially so close to his mouth where a simple turn of his head would allow him to open up and flick it with his tongue and suck on it through the fabric of her shirt, was too much. He lost his grip on his carefully monitored self control and could feel his pants instantly become too tight as an erection began to swell in his lap.

"Sakura…uh…that's enough," he panted, trying to push her away.

She mistook his intentions and sat down on his lap again, only to be practically thrown off of him and onto the floor as Kakashi jumped up from the chair and turned around quickly.

"W-what's the matter?" she asked quizzically. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," Kakashi growled as he faced away from her, running fingers through his hair in frustration. "You did everything right…a little too right actually and uh…my body reacted without my permission."

Sakura's eyes widened in realization and she whipped around to face the other way, giving him as much privacy as possible.

"Oh…" was all she could manage.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I thought I could control it. I didn't mean to embarrass you, but just know that when you do this for real, the men will have no qualms about things like that, and you will have to proceed as if nothing were wrong."

"I-I know," she said softly, incredibly unnerved by the whole situation.

A moment of suffocating silence passed between them.

"All right," Kakashi finally said. "You should get to sleep. I'll sleep on the floor tonight. It will make things easier."

"No, it's all right. We can share the bed," she said, the words out of her mouth before she even had a chance to stop herself. No, it was not all right that he get into bed with her while he was in…that sort of condition.

But luckily for her, Kakashi simply told her he would go to bed when he was "finished" and disappeared into the bathroom.

Sakura was left feeling a little lost as she climbed into bed, scooting as close to one side as possible to give Kakashi plenty of room.

Yes, the lap dance had been awkward and embarrassing, but not as bad as she had thought it would be. This however, was much, much worse. She didn't even want to think about what Kakashi was doing behind that door right now to fix his little…"problem", nor what he was thinking about while he did so. Kakashi was more of a mentor to her and imagining him masturbating was just too much bare. She didn't want to think about the muscles of his chest under that tight black tank, or the way his hands had gripped her thighs. She was her teacher and it was so wrong to be doing any of this with him!

She groaned softly and slipped under the covers, sitting up to plait her hair in a messy braid before clicking off the lamp and lying down.

However, Kakashi said she had done well, although she wasn't sure whether he was just saying that to make her feel better or if there was some truth to it. Well…she had produced arousal in him, that much was for certain, so she supposed she had to have done at least a half decent job. Unfortunately, the elation she should have felt was overpowered by the uncomfortable feeling she got from knowing she would know have to spend all night in the same bed with the man she had just turned on.

She buried her face in her pillow, willing her mind to stop running in circles so she could sleep because all she wanted to do was forget this day ever happened.

XXXXX

Kakashi gripped the edges of the sink until his knuckles were white.

What the hell was wrong with him? Was he really that sad and depraved that a little girl fourteen years his junior wiggling awkwardly in his lap was enough to turn him on?

Even as he thought the words, he knew they weren't true, for Sakura was no longer a little girl in body or mind and the curve of her breasts and hips proved it…well, at least the body part.

Even so, he was a little bit disgusted at himself for letting his body get the best of him. What she had been doing was better than he had expected but she was by no means an expert yet. She was still self-conscious and unsure and that would have to change before they got to the club, meaning they would have to do this again, and if she was going to get better at this, it meant it would probably be harder for him to keep his body in check as well.

Kakashi turned on the cold water and pulled down his mask to splash the liquid over his face, hoping it would clear his head a little. It didn't help his thoughts and it certainly didn't help the monster throbbing in his pants.

Taking care of it with his hand was out of the question, not with Sakura in the other room. He would just have to take another shower and hope that would calm him down.

He turned off the faucet and went instead for the shower knob, cranking it on without adding a drop of hot water before stepping out of his clothes.

His body protested strongly at the cold droplets, piercing him like needles but he grit his teeth and endured it, feeling his erection starting to wane under the frigid onslaught. He rested his forehead against the cool shower tiles and groaned softly.

'Tsunade,' he thought to himself as the cold drops began to sting. 'You are quite possibly the cruelest woman on the planet for making me take this mission, because no man should be made to endure this.'

XXXXX

Sakura cracked an eye open as the morning's first rays filtered into the room. The curtains weren't thick enough to keep out all the light and she could tell by its pinkish gray hue that the sun was just starting to rise. She was surprised Kakashi hadn't woken her already.

Speaking of Kakashi, where was he anyways?

She rolled over expecting to bump into his warm body in the tiny bed but to her surprise, she found it was empty. The Copy nin had instead taken up residence on the floor with nothing but a spare pillow. He didn't even have a blanket.

Ordinarily she would have found this strange, but as images of last night's events came trickling back to her, it was only too clear why he had chosen to let her sleep alone.

She had managed to arouse her sensei somehow. Kakashi, the connoisseur of dirty books and erotica, had sprung an erection while she was performing her very first lap dance.

Honestly, she didn't know whether to be pleased or horrified. It meant she had indeed managed to pull off being sexy, something she was still in disbelief about, but on the other hand, Kakashi had been aroused…because of her.

Did that mean he had wanted to touch her as she had been touching him? She recalled his hands gripping her shoulders hard. Was that to keep them from wandering to who knows where? Assuming he had had these desires and he had given in, what would he have done to her exactly? How would he have touched her? She had no doubts that whatever he did, he would probably be very, very good at it.

Sakura realized that not only her cheeks, but her whole body had grown flushed and warm at the thought of her teacher reciprocating her touches and she looked away from his peaceful sleeping form in shame. She shouldn't be thinking about him like that. It wasn't his fault his body had acted naturally to what she had been doing. It was obvious he had been fighting against it with all he had and hadn't wanted her to know what she was doing to him.

Kakashi was a professional and would never allow himself to touch her that way. She should grant him the same courtesy and purge those thoughts from her mind.

She pulled back the covers and padded soundlessly into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth, but as she turned on the faucet and smeared toothpaste on her pink handled toothbrush while waiting for the water to get hot, she realized getting rid of her unclean thoughts was easier said then done. Memories of his abnormally husky voice against her skin kept drifting back to her, making her skin flush against her will. For a medic, she sure didn't have a very good grip on her own body functions. She should start worrying about getting herself together instead of about Kakashi.

She spit and rinsed her mouth before splashing some warm water onto her face and lathering up the bar of soap the inn provided, proceeding to wash up while enjoying the heat of the water and subtle lavender scent of the bubbles.

Suddenly, she stilled as she felt a familiar presence behind her and washed away the soap from around her eyes just as Kakashi reached around her to grab the toothbrush he had left on the sink.

Apparently, the sounds of her getting ready for the day had been enough to wake him.

For some reason, she was quite aware of the body heat he was radiating onto her back and of the brush of his arm against his shoulder as he leaned over to wet his toothbrush under the facet.

Hesitantly, she lifted her eyes to meet his in the mirror and was surprised to find he was looking rather haggard. It looked like there were dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept much and his face looked gaunt and drawn, but she couldn't be quite sure with that damn mask obscuring everything. She couldn't remember ever seeing him like this. There were missions she had gone on with him when he had kept watch the entire night and hadn't looked this bad in the morning. However, she had a feeling it all related to her little performance last night.

"Good morning," she said quietly as she turned to grab the towel that was hanging over the shower to dry her face.

"Morning," Kakashi replied groggily as he turned his back to her while brushing his teeth, much to her disappointment. She had hoped that today might be the day he would let her see his uncovered face.

As soon as she buried her face in the fluffy material, she realized it was obviously Kakashi's. It smelled like him, a woodsy, spicy, masculine scent that had always lingered around him, but she had never paid much attention to until now. She jerked away from the offending cloth as if she had been burned, knowing it was bad enough that she actually kind of wanted to enjoy that scent a little longer, but the fact that Kakashi was in the room this very moment was even worse. She frantically hoped he hadn't noticed her strange behavior.

"Everything all right over there?" he asked through a mouthful of toothpaste.

Damn.

"Uh…yeah. I just thought I saw a bug on the towel," she lied, knowing damn well that it was a stupid excuse.

"Hmm," he simply grumbled in response.

She took the chance to slip out of the tiny bathroom, flattening herself against the wall in an unusual attempt at avoiding body contact with him. She heard him spit into the sink and then begin to wash his face now that she was out of the room, making her wonder all over again why he was so secretive about what was under that mask.

She dug her hairbrush out of her pack and sat cross legged on the bed, her back to the bathroom door. As she began to comb through tangled pink strands, she wondered if the awkwardness she was feeling develop between them was merely her imagination or if Kakashi was feeling as uncomfortable as she was.

XXXXX

Oh Kakashi was uncomfortable all right. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before as a result. After shivering under the showers frigid spray for as long as he could stand, he had redressed and emerged from the bathroom to find Sakura sound asleep, huddled on one side of the bed to no doubt make room for him.

The way she had shrunk into such a tiny little ball made it obvious she really didn't want any contact with him at all and he had no problem with obliging her, especially since the way the faint bathroom light was shining on her was softening her features and making her look even more appealing. He had lost his control once and couldn't chance that again, especially in a bed.

He had plucked the pillow from his side of the bed and had lain on the floor, unconcerned with the lack of blanket. He had slept in much worse conditions. Yet for some reason, despite a pillow and a roof over his head, sleep eluded him until the wee hours of the morning as he listened to Sakura breathe evenly, remembering how her breaths had been slightly erratic as she had rubbed against him. Whether it was nervousness or arousal that had done that to her, Kakashi didn't know and he kept telling himself it was a moot point anyway. So what if she had gotten herself a bit worked up in spite of herself? The things he had asked her to do would probably have that effect on her, especially since her body was untouched and probably highly sensitive. All sorts of things would turn her on…in fact, it would probably be quite easy to—

Kakashi slammed the door on that thought angrily. Earlier that day he had been worried about making her do something she was uncomfortable with and now he was thinking about corrupting her innocence? All it had taken was one little lap dance to completely change his view of her and personally, Kakashi had preferred looking at her like a child, because now there was a warm blooded woman in the bed next to him that had left a spot for him to sleep, and he wasn't at all comfortable with this sudden revelation.

It had taken hours of battling with his own mind before he finally slipped into a fitful sleep out of mental exhaustion. He was so fatigued that he hadn't awoken when he had planned and now he was here, trying desperately to wake up as he scrubbed his face with his hands when he had wanted to be on the road by now.

The vibe between the two of them was undoubtedly different. Sakura was jumpy and nervous around him, something he couldn't recall her being…well, ever. He knew once this morning grogginess wore off, he would be even more aware of the tension between them and they wouldn't have the option of focusing their attention on bounding through trees instead of each other.

Today was going to be a very long day.

XXXXX

This was miserable, utterly, completely miserable. She would have preferred talking about her sexual history (or lack thereof) to this, this awkward, stifling tension that hung in the air so thickly that it was nearly tangible.

At first she had wondered if Kakashi's disinterest in socializing was simply caused by the fact he was still half asleep. However, even after they had dressed in civilian clothes, eaten breakfast and walked a good forty five minutes, he still didn't seem any more talkative than when they had been in the bathroom. Any questions she asked were answered with single words or grunts, making conversation increasingly difficult and she couldn't help but wonder if he was upset with her after last night, although she couldn't understand why that would be the case. She had simply been following his instructions and had suddenly been unceremoniously dumped on the floor. If anything, she should be mad at him!

They had been walking side by side, looking to any innocent onlooker to be a happy couple, but upon closer inspection, it would become clear that they were anything but happy. They weren't even looking at each other, eyes locked straight ahead.

Kakashi had foregone the ninja regulation pants today and gone with brown pants and drab camel colored shirt and instead of the mask which might look a little suspicious, he wore a thick gray scarf that covered his mouth and nose, as if he were just protecting himself from the slight chill in the air. Sakura wondered if she was ever going to see his face because he seemed to be quite good at keeping it hidden, but right now the bigger problem was were they ever going to have a normal conversation again.

Even though Kakashi had always been fairly easy to talk to, she found herself reluctant to ask him what his problem was. Perhaps that was because she would in turn have to admit what her problem was and she wasn't quite sure what that was exactly.

She didn't want to go pointing fingers and making accusations until she had her own thoughts sorted out, and considering he probably wasn't going to start any conversations to distract her, she would have plenty of time for thinking.

By now they were into former Rain territory, the weather alone making that much obvious, and Sakura was thankful for the heavy shawl wrapped tightly around herself. The sky was angry and overcast as if the swollen clouds would burst any minute and the gloom did nothing to help the mood that had settled around herself and her seemingly crabby partner.

The scenery, though painted gray by the shadowing clouds, was actually quite pretty. The constant rain produced lush green vegetation as far as the eye could see and villages were few and far between. They seldom passed other travelers on the road and she could see why. The heavy rains had turned the majority of the worn dirt paths to mud which didn't exactly pair well with sandals.

Because of their late start, Kakashi had said, in a rare instance of stringing several sentences together, that they would just eat whatever they had with them for lunch without stopping. That was fine with Sakura because it let her pretend, at least momentarily, that perhaps the lack of conversation was because they had their mouths full of food.

Kakashi wasn't trying to be short with his female partner as they walked along the soggy road, mud so thick in places that it was tugged at their shoes. He too was aware of the tension looming over them just like the dark clouds in the sky but he was unsure of how to fix it. He wondered if discussing the issue just might make it worse, but then, what was there to discuss. This training was required since they both knew she needed it and his body had done what it did because he was a healthy, normal male. End of story.

But it wasn't that simple, for added to that equation was the matter of a teacher and a student, of having to work together, of her never having done something like this before and him having done it quite a few times. And then on top of that was the fact that this was all part of a mission and they were supposed to be professional. Kakashi didn't think he could calmly ask Sakura to professionally grind herself against the erection in his lap as he professionally enjoyed her feminine body on top of his.

What's worse was that he would have to continue her training somehow because she was by no means ready for the real thing. She hadn't performed nude, or at least in just her underwear, and she hadn't practiced on a pole, although Kakashi wasn't sure were he was going to find one of those lying around. He had a lot of problems to solve in a very short amount of time considering they would most likely reach Fuzen Machi the day after next. With all this to occupy his mind, he couldn't help it if he wasn't exactly the chattiest person to be traveling with.

They trudged on through the mud in uncomfortable silence as the sun traveled in its daily arc above the clouds and soon even fewer rays were making it through to light their way.

"We'll stop at the next inn we see," Kakashi suddenly said, his voice shattering the silence that had been stretching between them for hours and in all honesty, it was beginning to wear on her nerves a little. She was tired of wondering what he was thinking and if he was mad at her or not and she was in no mood to brush it off any longer.

"Kakashi, what is your deal," she said tersely, stopping in her tracks and refusing to go another step until he answered her question.

The Copy nin turned his head to look at her with the eye that wasn't covered with a simple black eye patch when he could no longer hear her footsteps following after him. They were on an abandoned piece of road in rogue territory at dusk under the guise of civilians and that really wasn't a good situation to be in if they didn't want trouble. His voice was slightly muffled by his thick scarf, but Sakura could hear what he said just fine.

"Do we really have to do this right now?" he said evenly, making it clear that he certainly didn't think it was urgent enough to stop in the mud to talk it out.

"Yes we do," Sakura answered, annoyed that he didn't think the conflict between them was all that important. "I'm sick of feeling like you're mad at me."

"What? Why would I be mad at you?" Kakashi asked, exasperated that she was making something out of nothing.

"I don't know. You tell me!" Sakura said angrily. It seemed he was oblivious to it all or he was at least pretending that he was. Either way that made him insensitive to the fact she had been worrying about the status between them all day.

The older shinobi didn't understand why she was getting so upset. She had been acting just as strange and Kakashi didn't think she had even wanted to talk much and now she was getting angry at him over it.

He was just about to open his mouth to say that she could have asked him straight out instead of worrying about it all day when something else caught his attention and he stilled entirely. What Sakura began to speak, he held up a hand to silence her and she instantly understood that something was wrong.

"Someone is coming," he said in a soft voice. "And they're close."

Kakashi concentrated on the chakra signatures he felt approaching and was able to discern that there were two of them and that, although they were close, he had a harder time pinpointing their location that he should have. The strangers were moving the same direction they were and would catch up soon if they didn't get moving.

"I think they're low level shinobi," he whispered to Sakura. "They're masking their chakra although not completely and I can't tell exactly how close they are but we should get out of here. I can't guarantee that they will be friendly."

Sakura nodded in understanding, argument completely forgotten as she could feel them as well.

"Should we get off the road?"

"No. Chances are they have already sensed us," Kakashi said as they continued down the path at a quicker pace. "Doing something like would be suspicious. Just keep alert and remember, no fighting. Leave it to me."

Sakura huffed as they continued to walk in the fading light. She didn't like having to be protected by someone else since she could clearly take care of herself, but using her inhuman strength would blow her cover in an instant.

They walked as fast as they could without making it look like they were running from something, which wasn't very fast considering the thick mud slowed them down.

"They're closing in," Sakura hissed, her body tensing in preparation for the imminent confrontation.

"I know," Kakashi growled back. "Just stay calm and pretend you're defenseless."

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Easy for you to say," she said under her breath. At least he had the option of fighting back.

Just then, they felt one of the two presences break apart and begin to loop around in front of them, moving through the tall grass that grew alongside the road and if Sakura looked carefully, she thought she could see where the swaying reeds parted in the distance to accommodate him.

"They're trapping us in," she said, easily recognizing a flanking maneuver when she saw one.

"I know," he said through his scarf. "Just act normal."

Ordinarily, "normal" for Sakura would be summoning a mass amount of chakra to her fist in preparation for demolishing her foe's face, but this time it meant cowering in feigned fear, something she clearly found detestable, but then, this mission was full of activities she wasn't exactly keen on.

The road was on a flat expanse of land, broken only by a gentle hill here and there but the grass offered plenty of cover and the attackers used it well. Sakura couldn't see them until one purposely stepped out onto the road about fifteen feet ahead. She looked over her shoulder, pretending to be nervous and saw that the man she had sensed was now walking on the road behind them, giving them no place to run.

"Well, look what we have here," the first man sneered as he approached.

He was on the smaller side, but lean and probably fast too. His dark eyes were sharp and cunning and Sakura didn't like the way he was looking at her at all. Instead of wiping the smirk off his face herself, she grasped Kakashi's hand in hers and huddled against him as if seeking his protection.

"Aw, it looks like a couple of love birds," the one behind them mocked as he came closer.

He was quite bit bigger than his friend, all hulking muscle, but his lumbering gait made Sakura think that while he was strong, he wasn't very fast. One thing was for sure though. They were both ugly.

"What do you want?" Kakashi asked, making his voice sound slightly panicked although he could probably take on these men while blindfolded.

"We are but humble travelers," the first man continued, ambling closer still. "Who are simply looking for any charitable contributions to our cause."

"And what's your cause?" Sakura asked, hating this villain's carefree demeanor.

By now the man was only a few feet away and he stopped and looked at her carefully, a cruel smile appearing on his face.

"Oh, you know, looting, pillaging, raping. The usual."

He gave her a wink as he said the last thing on his list, making Sakura's blood boil at the mere thought of him touching her while his partner behind him began to guffaw is if he had said something terribly funny.

"Look, we don't have much money so we're hardly worth your time," Kakashi said, pulling Sakura closer to him. "We're just trying to get to our destination so please let us pass."

"Well, I'll let you pass, sure," the man in front of them said, having to look up to meet his one eyed gaze since he wasn't much taller than Sakura. "On the provision that you give us a little time with your lovely companion."

Kakashi could feel Sakura's grip on his hand tighten almost painfully and knew it wasn't because she was scared, but because she was trying to keep herself from knocking these scumbags into next week.

"Leave her alone," he ordered gruffly, his voice now tinged with anger. Apparently he didn't like what these mean were planning either. "She has nothing to do with this."

"Oh, she has everything to do with this with a sweet little body like that," he sneered, his eyes seeming to look right through the faded layers of her light brown shirt, making Sakura want to wrap her arms around herself and hide her body from his prying eyes, either that or slam his face into the ground.

"Don't you dare touch me," she said tightly, momentarily forgetting she was supposed to be quaking with fear.

"So you're feisty? I like that," the first man chuckled before jerking his head at his friend. "Hey, make her a little more comfortable will you?"

Sakura felt herself being roughly pulled away from Kakashi's side, her shawl falling from around her shoulders to land in the dirt. Although she fought against him with carefully monitored strength, it did little to break from the massive tree trunks this man called arms. They encircled her and pressed her back to his chest and she was momentarily repulsed by his stench as it washed over her. These men clearly didn't believe in showers.

"Stop it! Let me go!" she cried, putting on a decent show so they would believe she was as weak as she pretended while Kakashi stripped off his pack and squared off with the second bandit scarf still in place.

"Are you sure this is wise old man?" the smaller man asked, mistaking his silver hair to mean he was quite a bit older than his actual age. "You could just run now and you wouldn't get hurt."

Kakashi mentally noted that if he ran now and left them at Sakura's mercy, they would both be dead in no more than three minutes. Fighting them like this was actually sparing their lives.

"You're making a mistake," Kakashi cautioned as they circled each other like a couple of wolves.

"No, I'm pretty sure this is exactly what we want to do. Pinkie over there looks like a lot of fun!"

Kakashi's eyes flicked over to his partner who was wriggling in the larger man's grip, acting for all the world like she was trying her hardest to escape. She was playing her part well, but Kakashi knew there was only so much she could take and if she should snap, there would be a crater the size of a small city where this path used to be.

Fat rain drops began to fall, slowly at first and then faster as the pregnant clouds above finally split, pouring down on the four figures below. Sakura was secretly grateful because this was probably the first shower these men had had in a while.

The sound of thunder in the distance spooked the less experienced ninja and he raced forward into an attack that Kakashi easily dodged. He was about to jab his elbow into his assailant's exposed back when the man dropped into a tight roll and sprang up on Kakashi's other size, forcing him to pivot in the mud.

Sakura watched the two of them fight and knew Kakashi would be fine as long as they stuck to taijutsu, but Kakashi could not use his Sharingan or any hand signs in this battle if he wanted to conceal his identity. If his opponent were to start using jutsu, Kakashi would be at a severe disadvantage.

The smaller man launched himself at Kakashi again, sending a right hook towards his face that Kakashi blocked with his forearm. Without being able to summon chakra to aid the block, Sakura knew that blow must have hurt like a bitch.

The Copy nin hooked his own ankle around his attacker's and pulled sharply to knock him off his feet and send him tumbling into the mud. On the way down, the man's hands fisted in the front of Kakashi's shirt and pulled him down with him.

Sakura cheered her partner on, careful to not say his actual name as she continued to fight feebly against her captor. Even with the rain, he stunk to the high heavens and she was growing tired of the disgusting comments he was muttering against her wet hair.

"Think your man is going to save you? You're wrong honey, but don't worry. We'll take real good care of you."

She wanted to roast him like the pig he was but she refrained. As long as Kakashi had everything under control, she wouldn't fight back.

The two men grappled in the mud, coating their clothes and skin with the stuff and Kakashi found himself on his back with the bandit hovering over him menacingly. The silvery glint of metal caught his eye and Kakashi's hand closed around the wrist of his attacker and halted his actions mere centimeters before the point of his kunai was driven into his cheek.

The man was clearly surprised Kakashi had been able to stop him and was even more surprised when the grip on his hand tightened so much he was forced to drop the weapon. Unfortunately, Kakashi's attention had been fixed on what only one hand was doing. He was unprepared when a similar blade in the man's second hand sunk several inches into his shoulder.

He cried out in pain as the enemy shinobi laughed darkly.

"You see old man? You should have run while you had the chance."

Sakura gasped as she saw the enemy produce another kunai from an unknown pouch and watched in horror as it drove through his clothes and into his skin. A crimson stain formed around the lodged weapon seconds later and mixed with the mud and rain covering both men.

"No! Stop it! You're hurting him!" she screamed, fighting with renewed vigor to get away.

The ugly thug holding her just laughed cruelly and she decided she had had just about enough of him. She raised her foot and brought it down hard on his instep, extracting a grunt of pain and surprising him just enough that his grip on her loosened. She twisted away and spun around to deliver a hard, swift kick, directly to his groin. Although she hadn't used any chakra to enhance her strength, the man instantly crumpled to the ground with a howl of pain.

His partner's cry distracted the man long enough to enable Kakashi to kick him off of him and both were now standing again. Sakura was tempted to rush in and assist but knew she would be more of a hindrance than any help considering she couldn't use her true strength. The man had grown cocky, overconfident that he had won now that the handle of his weapon was jutting out of his enemy's shoulder and Kakashi was clearly having a hard time moving that arm.

He attacked head on, intending to deliver a finishing blow but Kakashi was still agile enough to sidestep and as his attacker's punch connected with nothing but air, he landed a hit directly on the back of his neck, dropping him instantly into a puddle of dirty water, completely unconscious.

Sakura raced to his side, eager to take a look at his wound but he held a hand up, signaling he was fine and that there were literally bigger things to worry about considering the larger man was just now picking himself up from the ground. He staggered a little, still clearly in pain and Kakashi wasted no time in racing towards him to punch him hard in the stomach, causing him to double over and followed up with a roundhouse kick to the side of the head, sending the big brute into the mud alongside his partner, out cold.

"Bastards," Sakura hissed venomously, nudging the large one's body with her sandal distastefully.

"Get used to people like them," Kakashi said a little breathlessly after his fight. "Chances are the club will be full of people like them."

Sakura shuddered once again at the thought of dancing nude for a crowd of sweaty, ugly thugs but her attention was quickly diverted as she saw Kakashi's fingers wrap around the handle of the kunai in his shoulder and tug it out in one swift movement.

"Kakashi, wait!" she cried over the sound of falling rain. "Let me heal that before you bleed all over the place!"

"It's not serious," he replied gruffly, shrugging her off when she tried to inspect the wound. "I was just careless and underestimated them. Besides, healing me here might blow our cover."

Sakura growled in exasperation, brushing away the wet hair that was plastered to her face. Kakashi was stubborn but so was she and she wasn't going to have her sensei develop an infection on her watch.

"Who's going to know? These guys?" she said, pointing at the motionless bodies in the mud. "Let me see it."

"I can hold out until we get to an inn," he said, still being difficult.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at his muddy form. She didn't care that he was technically her superior on this mission. She had had enough of his "tough guy" routine. Without warning she grabbed his sleeve and jerked him after her forcefully as she marched into the tall grass. Kakashi grunted in surprise but didn't fight her when it was obvious she wasn't going to stop until she got her way.

She sat him down with a plop, not caring it was muddy considering he was covered in it after the fight anyway. The tall grass around them ensured they wouldn't be seen from the road and she knelt next to him and began to examine the gash carefully, having a slightly difficult time sine the rain kept running down her face and into her eyes.

"It looks like he may have cut through a ligament," Sakura said. "And that's why you're having trouble moving your arm. I can't tell for sure without having you take off your shirt. I do some basic healing to stop the bleeding and reduce the pain but you'll have to take it easy until I can get a better look."

Kakashi nodded as she pressed a palm softly to the wound, watching as her hand began to glow green. He could feel the icy cool sensation of her chakra seeping into his skin, closing blood vessels and draining away the discomfort until the pain was nearly gone. He pulled his scarf away from his face now that he couldn't breathe through the soaked and muddy material and Sakura's eyes momentarily shifted from her task to study him. However, his actions revealed nothing because his newly exposed face was just as muddy as the rest of him and even the falling rain couldn't wash him clean.

Kakashi had been healed by her before but he had forgotten what a calming and surprisingly intimate experience it was. Her chakra was inside his body, mending him, from the inside out and once again he found awe and respect swelling inside him for her remarkable skills.

"Alright, that's all I can do for now," she said, removing her hand and standing up. "Just don't strain it or you'll start bleeding again."

Kakashi nodded before giving a soft "Thanks," in reply.

When they emerged the thugs were still knocked out on the road and there was no one else in sight.

"We need to get rid of these bodies," Kakashi said. "If somebody finds them before they wake up, there's bound to be questions."

He grabbed the arm of the larger man with both hands and was about to pull him into the tall reeds when Sakura slapped his hands away.

"What did I just tell you?" she asked with obvious annoyance. "You're supposed to take it easy."

"But—"

"I'll take care of it," she said in a no nonsense voice. "Go grab your pack."

He knew better than to argue and let her have her way, picking his pack up out of the mud as Sakura grabbed the large brute and effortlessly dragged him into the grass and then the smaller one.

After arranging the flattened grass so it looked like nothing had happened, she turned back to him while stooping to pick her muddied shawl up from the ground.

"Ok, let's go."

Kakashi nodded wordlessly and the two of them continued on down the road, hoping that the next inn was close and that the downpour chilling them to the bone would soon stop. The adrenaline was still pumping strong in their veins and it seemed, at least for the moment, the cloud of tension around them had momentarily lifted.

They had only traveled another fifteen minutes when they reached the crest of another gently sloping hill to discover a town in the distance, made hazy by the falling rain. It looked larger than the last they had stayed at and Sakura could only hope that there was a place for them to stay the night. Considering Kakashi's condition, she imagined he felt the same.

The flat landscape made it difficult to judge just how far away the town was without any landmarks to measure against. They had been walking for some time and the town was only gradually getting closer but they would be there soon and it wasn't so late that they were in danger of arriving when everything was closed.

The fat drops pelting them gradually began to shrink in size and frequency until the torrential downpour had become more of a drizzle, but by then, they were too soaked for it to matter.

Kakashi went to adjust his pack and Sakura noticed he winced slightly as the strap brushed over his wound.

"How's your shoulder?" she asked softly, her words being the first thing spoken since their departure after the battle.

"Fine," he said simply. "It's a little tender but I'll be alright."

Sakura smiled a little, thankful that he had actually spoken more than a few words to her and could feel the knot that had been twisting in her stomach finally uncoil a little as a comfortable silence settled around them.

As they reached the edge of the town at last, Sakura wondered if perhaps they could make this awkward partnership work after all.

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I have been so flattered with the reviews I have been receiving. Many are thoughtful and truthful critiques of this story and I like that, even if they aren't always positive. I really appreciate those of you who took the time to drop me a line. You guys are the ones that keep me going!

J-Pop


	4. Chapter 4

Hey everyone. I know it's a little late but at least I'm managing to post this now in my free time before work. The next chapter is bound to be even later considering I have 5 pages written as of today. Despite my struggle to juggle this and school work, I hope you will continue to read and enjoy. Thank you!

I do not own Naruto and this fic is rated M for good reason.

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Stripped bare-Chapter 4

It would just figure that the rain would let up when they finally got to a town, but by then they were already so soaked it didn't even matter.

The town they arrived at was nothing like the quaint little settlement from the night before. The place seemed darker, sinister even, and the people they passed on the dimly lit streets hurried along as if they had somewhere to be, casting sidelong glances at the two shinobi. Sakura supposed it had something to do with the fact they were both muddy and drenched and that Kakashi's shirt was sporting a large and obviously fresh bloodstain. If any of the inhabitants were shocked, they didn't show it and hurried on their way, none of them showing even the smallest shred of hospitality.

The inn was as dark and grimy as the rest of the place and the woman behind the desk looked like she had see a thing or two in her life. She was older and heavyset with thick dark hair and a silver ring through her right nostril. She eyed the two suspiciously as they entered but didn't say a word, not even when her eyes rested for a moment on the muddied crimson stain on Kakashi's clothes.

Her actions actually weren't that surprising. This was rogue territory after all and people here viewed government and order as more of an option than a necessity. It wasn't surprising that violence and conflict ran rampant in these parts and the innkeeper had probably seen far worse than a dirty stab wound.

"Here," she rasped, her voice low and gravelly as she tossed Sakura a tarnished key after having paid for the room in advance. "It's the second floor, last door on the right."

The inn wasn't the dirtiest she had ever stayed in. It wasn't the cleanest either, but Sakura tried not to think about it as she walked into their small room and unshouldered her pack. She noticed a full length mirror on the wall across from the bed and could only imagine why anyone would put a mirror there. Well, at least it wasn't on the ceiling.

Kakashi was taking off his pack and sandals as well, trying not to move his arm too much. She knew she would have to inspect his wound but it would be a whole lot easier if he wasn't covered in mud. Fortunately, a glance into the bathroom revealed that the room actually had an old fashioned clawfoot tub.

"Kakashi, get cleaned up," she commanded, slipping into the role of a medic easily. "If you don't think you can move your arm enough, I'll help you bathe."

"I'm perfectly capable, thank you," Kakashi said a little too quickly. It was bad enough that he had let himself get injured in the first place by a low level shinobi. He intended to hang on to the last shreds of his dignity by at least washing the dirt from his own body.

His bath was actually more of him scrubbing himself clean rather than a long soak. He was grateful he had saved the soap and washcloth from the last inn because this place provided nothing of the sort. He was able to scrub nearly his whole back with his good arm and carefully wiped around the tender edges of his wound. Clean at last, he slipped into a fresh set of pants and his trusty tank with attached mask and went out to the main room where Sakura was perched patiently on the edge of the bed, waiting for him.

"Lie down," she instructed, pointing to the sheets.

Her clothes were still wet and she was still covered in mud, except for her hands which she had washed when inspecting the bathroom.

"Wouldn't it be better for you to clean up first?"

She shook her head stubbornly, refusing to budge when someone was in need of her medical skills.

"This won't take long."

Too tired to argue, he did as he was told, laying on his back while Sakura sat next to him and began poking and prodding around the cut gently, asking if certain things hurt. When she was finally satisfied with her cursory exam, she let a glowing palm hover over the gash right above his ANBU tattoo, sending in green chakra to draw out any impurities before she mended the skin. She noticed a slight catch in Kakashi's breathing as her energy made contact with his skin but when she glanced at his face, he was staring at the ceiling, his face giving nothing away.

She could feel it, that weird, unsettling silence start to creep between them again but she wouldn't let it, not when they finally had the chance to talk it out.

"I'm sorry I got mad at you earlier," she said softly, her eyes focusing on the dirt particles she was removing from the tender tissue. "I just can't handle things being so strange between us, especially since I'm depending on you to teach me what I need for this mission."

Her words made Kakashi shift eyes of both red and black to her, regarding her for a second before he spoke.

"It's alright. I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable."

Sakura managed a small smile as she began to knit the fibers of his severed tendon back together.

"I guess it was inevitable huh? There's no way you would teach me to be a stripper without things getting a little weird, no matter how professional we try and be about it."

Kakashi's masked lips curved upwards as well.

"No, I suppose not."

Sakura shut her eyes in concentration as she let her chakra delve deep into the musculature of her sensei's shoulder, repairing whatever damage had been done.

"I don't want it to get that way again," she said. "And I don't want what happened to deter you from giving me the training I need. Promise me that the next time things get weird, we'll fix it and not let it turn into an ugly mess like this."

"Fair enough," Kakashi said, closing his eyes as well as the strangely pleasant tingle of her chakra resonated throughout his shoulder joint. "I suppose I was just caught off guard by the whole situation. I've always seen you as a girl and last night forced me to look at you as a woman. I guess I was unprepared for that."

Sakura finished mending his would, leaving unflawed skin in her wake and let out a soft sigh.

"Yeah, I guess it's a little strange for me too. I've never had to be in touch with my womanly, seductive side before."

Kakashi fixed her with his mismatched gaze, sincerity brimming in his onyx eye.

"You'll be fine. You already did surprisingly well and I think we both saw proof of that."

Sakura fought the urge to look away in embarrassment. She hadn't exactly seen the proof or even felt it for that matter but she was ok with that. She would take his word for it.

"Once you relax and gain some confidence, you will be much better off."

Sakura nodded and smiled a little, wishing his advice could be so easily taken.

Suddenly, she realized she was still damp and muddy and pushed herself off the bed wearily.

"I'm going to go clean up," she announced, going to her pack to pull out the T-shirt and shorts she had worn to bed the night before.

Kakashi followed her movements, head turning to watch her walk across the room until she was closing the bathroom door.

"Sakura," he called, causing her to pause.

He flexed his arm experimentally to find it was in perfect working order.

"Thank you."

She simply nodded and closed the door behind her and a few moments later, he could hear the sound of running water as she began to fill the tub.

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The hot water felt wonderful a she eased herself into the steaming bath. Her own apartment lacked a bathtub and it had been a while since she had been granted such a luxury, especially on a mission.

The talk with Kakashi had left her steeped in relief. In a way she was oddly thankful for the dangerous encounter today because it had force the ice between them to break and the awkwardness to dissipate. What Tsunade was asking them to do was a challenge for them both but as she sat in the bath, letting the hot water ease the weariness from her body, she vowed all over again that she would not fail.

Kakashi had said scumbags like the ones that had attacked them today would more than likely frequent the club, and Sakura knew she wasn't ready for something like that. She needed more training and she needed it fast considering they were scheduled to arrive at Fuzen Machi the day after tomorrow.

With a sigh she slid underneath the water, wetting her hair completely and set about washing the last of the mud from the pink strands before draining the tub and stepping out and drying off.

Once dressed, she slipped out into the main room to find Kakashi already in bed and sound asleep and a plate of food on the small dresser waiting for her. He must have gone out for food while she was in the bath.

It was actually a bowl of stew, still warm despite being left out and it was thick and hearty enough to satisfy her even after traveling all day.

She ate in silence near the cracked bathroom door, using the light sliver of light so she wouldn't have to turn on another lamp and possibly disturb her partner.

More training, she needed more training and soon.

Her mind kept running in that particular circle and she knew it was all too true, even if her last training session had been something of a disaster. As she chewed a beefy chunk of meat, her eyes drifted to the mirror on the wall and she recalled how Ino said she had practiced her sexiest dance moves alone in her bedroom.

The thought was ridiculous but it was high time she took a little initiative on this mission.

Finishing the last of her meal, she silently padded over to stand in front of her own reflection, sizing herself up in the dim light.

Honestly, she didn't think she had much to work with. Her breasts were practically non existent under her T-shirt and her hips, while slightly flaring from her waist, weren't anything special. Every other kunoichi seemed to have blossomed but her curves were quite a bit more modest. There were times when Sakura longed for a shapely figure like Hinata's, but lush, rounded breasts didn't appear to be in her future.

Kakashi had told her she needed confidence above all else. Well, she was confident she was a walking stick person that was for certain. And yet, even that same stick had managed to arouse the great Kakashi Hatake so perhaps someone shapeless like her could still be sensual after all.

Confidence. Confidence. You are a sexy woman.

She chanted the mantra to herself as she began to sway her hips as Kakashi had instructed, watching the action as it was reflected back to her. She remembered how his large hands had felt as he had held her and guided her and tried to recreate those large swishing movements on her own.

She began to run her hands up and down her sides, trying to move slowly and make it look like touching her skin was the most wonderful feeling she had ever had. Unfortunately, all she saw was a girl clumsily pawing at her own body, hips moving in awkward figure eights.

Little did she know, she was performing for someone other than herself and he certainly didn't agree with her opinion.

He had been sleeping on his side facing the mirror, alert the second she had opened the bathroom door. He had expected her to come to bed once she was finished eating but she hadn't even though he could sense her presence just a few feet away from him. When he opened his dark eye, he had been surprised to see her standing with her back to him, hips swaying gently as her hands rubbed provocatively over her sides. The sight had claimed his full attention quite quickly.

It was obvious she was no expert by the unsure way she was dancing, but her movements were graceful, no doubt aided by the natural poise she possessed as a kunoichi.

Sakura, on the other hand was trying not to get discouraged with her own performance. She turned to the side and began to undulate in a slow body ripple letting her head, then chest, then stomach, then finally her pelvis move in a wave-like motion. She let her fingers sink into her damp pink hair and pile it on top of her head as danced, unaware that the simple motion had Kakashi running his tongue over suddenly dry lips. Her movements were still small and restrained but if she really let go and went for it, she would be quite an enticing sight indeed.

Sakura turned again, presenting her back the mirror and looked over her should as she watched her own rear sway to and fro in a motion she hoped was appealing.

This view allowed Kakashi not only to see what was facing him, but the reflection in the mirror as well and as her ass swayed, clothed only in those tight little shorts while one hand moved absently up and down her thigh, he would have attested that she was more than just a little appealing.

Appealing or not, Sakura was feeling utterly ridiculous. She tried to give her reflection her best "come hither" look, pouting her lips and gazing out from underneath sooty lashes but only succeeded in feeling even more foolish. With a barely audible groan, she turned back around and sat on the floor with a plop, wondering how the hell she was going to pull this off.

Kakashi in the other hand didn't see a reason why she should be disheartened over her performance. She was actually doing quite well for someone as inexperienced as she was but apparently she didn't share his opinion.

Sakura sat cross-legged on the floor, taking a deep breath to keep herself from punching the floor in frustration. Why was being sexy so hard for her? Was she just unfit for it, destined to be as boring and straight laced as ever?

She took a deep calming breath and focused her eyes on the deep green ones looking back at her. No, she could do this. She would do this and show Sasuke that not only was she a capable kunoichi, but she was a woman worth having. She wasn't useless and she wasn't easily replaced but she was sexy.

Slowly, she rose up on her knees and spread them slightly before beginning the body ripple she had previously practiced.

Kakashi's breath caught as she tipped her head back and let her hands trail over her stomach tentatively before playing along the hem of her shorts as if debating whether she should take them off.

'She'd better not!' Kakashi though fervently even though deep down, he knew even if she had, he wouldn't have been able to look away.

The Copy nin was spared, for instead, she sank down to all fours while swaying her rear side to side. Kakashi's dark eye widened as she dipped her front half to let her chest brush over the floor while her back half remained high in the air. Just where the hell had that come from? He clearly recalled seeing dancers at clubs perform that same move and if Sakura just put a little more faith in her dancing she could work the stage just as well as the rest of them. The thought gave him hope, but it also made him a little uncomfortable for some reason. Innocent little Sakura was actually good at dancing dirty.

Sakura sat back up on her knees again, pausing in her motions to study herself in the mirror as she wondered what other moves she could try. Her mind went back to their previous session together and she remembered straddling his lap, their bodies pressed together as she ground against him. Her cheeks flushed at the memory but she continued to replay the scene anyways. Moving like that had gotten him hot and bothered so she must have done something right. Maybe she could move like she had on his lap while sitting on the floor.

Unbeknown to her, a second pair of eyes was watching her as she began to move her hips again, her abdominals flexing with her writhing snake-like movements as she ground against the floor. The odd position tired her thighs quickly and she braced herself with her hands, letting them rest on the carpet as her hips continued their pumping motion.

Kakashi was inadvertently hypnotized as he watched her, the thought suddenly entering his head that he very much wanted to be under that undulating pelvis and feel her rub against him. He tried to cast the thought away but it refused to leave, returning quickly as he watched her. He felt like a peeping tom for looking, knowing she wouldn't be doing this if she knew he was awake, but he couldn't help it. It was such a shock to see the pink haired medic move like this, even if her face gave away the fact that she felt uncomfortable doing so.

As he watched her, he could tell his pulse was beginning to race but he fought to keep his breathing even to keep up the façade of being sleep. But when a familiar tightness began to appear in his groin, he knew he was in trouble. He tried to banish it and make his body relax but it only persisted as he continued to watch his student, unable to tear his eyes away.

Suddenly, Sakura stopped, dropping the act entirely and stood up with an exasperated sigh. Kakashi was both grateful and very disappointed as she disappeared into the bathroom to brush her teeth, leaving him to will his half formed erection away.

A moment later, she reappeared, switching off the light and leaving the room in total darkness.

He felt the bed dip as she climbed in on her side and pulled the covers around her. As she got settled, he heard a half muffled murmur filled with sleepy frustration.

"I'm so stupid. I'll never get this right."

Kakashi let her drift off to sleep instead of rolling over to tell her that she was in fact, very, very wrong about that.

XXXXX

The next day was much less eventful. They continued their walk through Rain territory without incidence, hardly passing another soul on the muddy dirt roads, let alone being attacked by them. The tall grasses and rolling hills gave way to towns and villages a little more frequently now, proof that they would soon come upon the bustling city they were headed for.

Both shinobi were relieved when conversation between them seemed easy and natural today, lacking any of the uneasy silences and tense conversation from the day before. Sakura secretly thought it was ironic that a stab wound would actually heal the damage done by their training session but didn't bring it up as they talked.

For the most part their conversations focused on lackluster, everyday topics, especially with there being more towns which meant more people to possibly overhear them. Now that they were closing in on their destination, it was even more crucial that their identities remain hidden.

As they trudged on, Sakura's mind went back to her own image dancing in front of the mirror in the dim light. That experience alone made it clear she wasn't ready for the real thing. She was too awkward, too self conscious, and she knew performing in front of a bunch of slobbering men would only make it worse. If she couldn't perform for Kakashi, someone she trusted completely, how did she expect to face a throng of shady and dangerous men, any one of which could be the potential kidnapper of the club's dancers?

She said nothing about her own doubts to her partner, not even when they stopped in a larger town to buy lunch from the least suspicious looking street vendor they could find. While Kakashi was her support on this mission, he couldn't hold her up completely. She would just have to make the best of the situation, no matter how terrible it may be, and keep her mind on the objective.

As they got back on the road, yakitori sticks in hand, they continued to chat amiably and Sakura found she was actually enjoying his company. They hardly ever got the chance to talk when she was working in the hospital, considering he did everything in his power to stay away from the place and she hadn't realized just how much she had missed being his pupil.

"You know," she said with a smile as it began to drizzle again, making her braided hair frizz slightly. "I'm glad it was you who came with me on this mission. I think I feel more comfortable with you than I would Naruto or Sai…"

"Or Sasuke?" Kakashi finished for her, knowing full well how she felt about Konoha's other Sharingan master.

She hadn't expected Kakashi to read her so easily and turned to look at him in surprise as she walked.

He chuckled at her shocked stare from beneath his gray scarf and returned it with his own one eyed glance.

"Don't act so surprised Sakura. Everyone knows how you feel about him"

Sakura's cheeks were tinged with pink at his remark but at least she hadn't flushed crimson, which so often was the case as of late. She turned back to look at the road ahead and sighed.

"Yeah I know. Even he knows."

One didn't have to be all that perceptive to hear the bitterness in her voice and it was obvious that she was hurt by the fact that while her crush was fully aware of her feelings, he not only refused to reciprocate them, but was hardly sensitive to her emotions at all.

Kakashi wasn't exactly comfortable with counseling her when it came to Sasuke, especially since he was hardly one for monogamous relationships himself. He personally thought Sasuke was all wrong for her but that's not what she would want to hear so he did his best to change the subject.

"Well, I supposed I am more knowledgeable than any of them on this particular subject," he said mirthfully, suspecting that the other three men on his team were just as virginal as Sakura herself. "I can't exactly see any of them being able to carry out this mission as Tsunade instructed."

"Yeah, that and you didn't laugh in my face at the thought of me actually being sexy," she said dejectedly, casting her eyes downwards to the murky puddles in the road.

"They laughed at you?" Kakashi asked, genuinely surprised that any of the boys, even the Uchiha could be so cruel.

"Well, not exactly," Sakura admitted. "Naruto was excited, Sai was indifferent and Sasuke looked at me as if I had grown another head. It was obvious by his expression that he thinks I'm going to fail."

He could hear the hurt in her voice and realized that while she had become one tough cookie in terms of strength and skill, she still wasn't so thick skinned when it came to matters of the heart; especially where Sasuke was concerned.

"Don't worry about what he thinks," Kakashi said. "He's been gone for years and doesn't know the real you anymore."

Sakura was a little taken back by his words but the more she thought about them, the more they rung true.

After a moment she tilted her head to look at him, noticing he had somehow finished his yakitori and she hadn't once seen him pull down his scarf, the sneaky bastard.

"Maybe he doesn't know me, but what makes you think that you do Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi chuckled at her valid retort and gave her a happy eye crease in return.

"I never said I did Sakura-chan, but at least I am willing try."

XXXXX

It drizzled off and on all day but nothing came close to the storm they had suffered through last night. They had made better time than expected and Kakashi figured that they would reach their destination around noon if they pushed a little harder tonight.

They passed town after town, each one looking more modern and industrial than the last and Sakura was beginning to feel a little like a bumpkin. Konoha was filled with skilled warriors but it wasn't exactly the epicenter for technological developments. The streets here were lit with electric lights instead of simple lanterns and the further west they traveled, the flashier the cities became. She could only imagine what Fuzen Machi would be like.

By the time finally had finally decided to call it a night, Sakura was trying to hide a large yawn behind her hand. Finding an inn was no longer difficult considering most of the settlements were now large enough to have two or three inns apiece.

Upon reaching the next town, Sakura discovered with relief that the road here turned from dirt to stone, allowing her to walk without having mud squish between her toes with every step.

They ordered take out at the first place they saw and headed for the inn next, figuring the fewer people who saw them, the better. They didn't want to raise any suspicions, even if they were in disguise.

The inn was still rough around the edges as the last one had been but offered modern conveniences that more than made up for it as far as Sakura was concerned. Their room had a dimmer switch and a shower and even a heating and air conditioning unit. Kakashi wasn't quite so impressed considering he had traveled out this way before and had already seen these modern marvels. However, he was pleased with the fact that they had a shower and they wouldn't have to make a trip to the town's bathhouse at this hour.

As hungry as she was, Sakura wanted to shower before anything else and ten minutes later, she emerged from the steam filled bathroom feeling clean and refreshed, wet hair done up in a loose ponytail.

Kakashi had already eaten his share and left her to eat hers as he took his turn in the shower. He returned even sooner than she had, needing no more than five minutes to wash himself clean.

She watched him towel his hair dry as he sat on the bed in his usual pants and tank with attached mask as she finished the last of her meal. His eye patch was gone as it so often was when they were alone but he still refused to go without covering his face.

She stood up and went to the bathroom, throwing the empty food container in the trash as she went. She picked up her toothbrush and squeezed a liberal amount of toothpaste on it before putting it in her mouth. The food she had just eaten had contained garlic and she didn't want any reason to feel self conscious while in close proximity with Kakashi, and if she was going to get the training she needed, chances are she would be very close.

She turned around to lean against the counter as she brushed and noticed on the outside of the bathroom door was a long, narrow mirror. She hadn't seen it when the bathroom door was closed but now that it had swung inward, she could see that even though it was scuffed in places and had a crack beginning to spider web across it, it was still a mirror. From her position it reflected Kakashi's sitting form perfectly and she looked at him thoughtfully as he ground the heels of his hands tiredly against his eyes until she had to turn and spit out the excess toothpaste foam.

She knew he was tired and they both wanted to sleep but this was something she had to do.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei," she said, stepping out of the bathroom after rinsing her mouth and placing her toothbrush back on the counter. "Since we'll arrive at Fuzen Machi tomorrow, don't you think it would be a good idea to…you know…train me some more?"

Kakashi sighed from where he was drying his hair and stood. The normally tousled silver strands looked even more unruly after being rubbed with the towel and Sakura wondered how he managed to look good even when disheveled…wait…since when did she think he looked good period?

Sakura banished the thought as he silently brushed by her to drape the damp towel over the shower rail. The soapy clean scent of his shower fresh skin mingled with his natural scent and she inhaled the pleasant aroma as he walked by without making it obvious that she was doing so. She was sure Kakashi would give her something to be mortified about soon enough and she didn't need to add to it by letting him catch her smelling him…although he did smell rather nice.

"I thought you might say that," Kakashi said, walking back past her and out into the main room. "Although I must say, you're better at this than I thought you would be…"

The way he trailed off made it clear that although she wasn't quite as terrible as everyone predicted, the fact didn't mean that she was good at any of it yet.

"But I'm still not ready," Sakura finished aloud, walking away from the bathroom and shutting the door behind her gently.

"No, you're not."

"So, what should I do?" Sakura asked evenly, preparing herself for an answer she was sure not to like.

"Well, you seem to be rather good at dancing in front of a mirror when you think nobody is looking," Kakashi said as he pulled over the room's only chair and flipped it around so he could straddle it backwards and watch her. "But can you dance that way for an audience?"

Sakura's eyes went wide, her mouth opening and closing a few times before she could finally make the words come out.

"Y-you saw that?"

"You should know by now that I'm not a heavy sleeper Sakura-chan."

There was a hint of amusement in his voice and it was obvious he found the situation rather humorous. Sakura however, didn't exactly agree. She remembered the way she had awkwardly felt up her own body and writhed on the floor like an idiot. A hot flush burned in her cheeks once more but she refused to cover her face in shame. She would probably have to endure far worse. He had said that her performance had been rather good and he wasn't one for flattery so he must of meant it, but then why did she feel so foolish every time she tried to explore her more erotic side?

"You're such a jerk," she hissed angrily, wanting very much to hit him over the head like she usually did to poor Naruto but she couldn't bring herself to pummel her teacher. He'd probably dodge the attack anyways.

"Don't be angry Sakura-chan," he said, giving her a cheerful eye crease. "I'm glad you were willing to practice on your own. You're not as bad as you think."

Kakashi noticed the change in the kunoichi's coloring immediately but didn't say anything about it. Instead he cocked his head to the side and looked at her thoughtfully.

"With a little confidence, I believe you'd be more than ready, but you don't believe what you're trying to convey and it shows."

While she was still a little angry for him peeping at her, she'd have to put those feels aside and focus on his lesson if she wanted to get anything out of it.

"What do you mean I don't believe it?" Sakura said, crossing her hands over her chest in a subconscious defensive gesture.

"You don't believe that you're the sexiest thing that ever walked the earth." Kakashi said, his eyes looking straight into hers.

"Well, I'm not!" Sakura exclaimed, finding the notion absolutely preposterous.

The Copy nin chuckled softly and shook his head.

"And there lies your problem. You need to believe that you are, to know that you are, just for those moments you are performing. If you can't even convince yourself you're beautiful, how do you expect others to find you attractive?"

"Well…I…" Sakura began, suddenly fidgeting a little from where she stood. She had to admit he had stumped her there.

"What I propose you do is perform a striptease for me and make me believe you're a sexy goddess while doing it. You do have something under that right?" he said, nodding to her T-shirt and shorts.

Sakura nodded miserably. She had left her panties on under her shorts and had worn a bra on impulse beneath her shirt, something she hardly ever did but both were white and plain and not at all attractive. She didn't know what would be worse, the act of stripping off her outer clothes or letting Kakashi see her in undergarments usually reserved for grandmas.

"At the club you will obviously have music to dance to so that will make it a little easier but for now you'll have to use your imagination," Kakashi said, resting crossed forearms on the back of the chair and propping his chin on them. "But no matter what, you have to make me believe in you."

Sakura took a deep breath and tugged the hair tie from her hair, letting the long pink strands fall around her. As much as she wanted to hate him for making her do this, she knew he was only doing her job and they agreed they would each do their best not to let things get awkward and she intended to keep her half of the bargain.

She timidly began to let her hips sway, trying to remember some of the moves she had come up with last night. She could feel Kakashi watching her intently but didn't have the courage to meet his gaze. It was just too embarrassing.

Kakashi sat scrutinizing her movements noticing that they were for the most part, a tamer version of everything he had already taught her. He wanted to see her improvise the way she had last night without holding anything back and he particularly wanted her to stop staring at the floor.

"Sakura, look at the man you are dancing for," he said and Sakura shyly lifted her eyes from the dirty carpet to meet his gaze. He had to admit, there was something appealing about her bashful demeanor, especially since she was usually strong and powerful and threatening her male team mates with her fists but there needed to be a careful mix of confidence and timidness and right now Sakura was far too reserved.

"You look uncomfortable," he noted, observing that once again she looked like a stranger in her own skin, awkward and unsure.

"I am," she said with a sigh, dropping her hands to her sides in frustration. "I feel so stupid."

"You'd feel less stupid if you just relax a little. It's just the two of us here so you don't need to be shy."

Sakura was considering telling him that being alone in a room with her ex sensei and being instructed to strip was plenty enough reason to be withdrawn, but she swallowed her complaints and tried again, trying to tell herself this wasn't a big deal and he was only trying to help.

She twined a lock of bubblegum pink around her finger and bit her lip self consciously as she brought her feet together and began to move her hips in small circles. While her gestures were simply nervous habits, they boosted her sex appeal exponentially.

"Much better," he said, shifting a little in his chair. "Now make your movements bigger. Remember, you'll be on a stage with a lot of people in the room. You want to make sure that even the people in the back will be able to see what you are doing."

Sakura wordlessly obeyed, moving her hips in larger circles while undulating her upper body in the ripple he had seen her practicing last night. The movements sent every visible muscle in her body rippling and flexing and Kakashi's mouth suddenly felt a little dry as he wondered just what the muscles hidden beneath her clothes looked like.

"When should I start to…take off my clothes?" she asked softly as she widened her stance and began swishing her hips from side to side while her hands came down to fumble with the edges of her T-shirt."

"Anytime is good," Kakashi said, now shifting in his chair a little more frequently.

Sakura nodded and crossed her arms over her chest while grabbing the hem, preparing to pull the whole shirt off all at once but Kakashi stopped her.

"Don't make it about simply removing your clothes. Make it about the process of reaching point B from point A. Take your time and tease your audience, give them little glimpses before revealing everything."

The kunoichi bit back a groan, wanting this session to be over and done with but she released her T-shirt and went back to circling her hips before grabbed the hem and inching it up her stomach slightly to expose her toned abdomen.

The overall effect would have been perfect if she hadn't had her eyes fixed to the floor again.

"Don't forget about what your face is doing," Kakashi cautioned, hoping the raspy tone his voice had taken on was just his imagination. "A major part of seduction is using your expressions, not just your body."

Sakura paused in her actions as she thought over his words.

"Then…how should I look?" she asked innocently.

"Like you want me."

Sakura's blush flared at his words. Though his command did wonders for embarrassing her, it did little for helping her grasp the concept he was trying to convey. She wasn't exactly a creature of lust, not even when it came to Sasuke and she didn't quite know what he was talking about.

"Kakashi, I…"

There she went, looking at the floor again, not only immensely flustered but still clueless about what to do. Perhaps sitting in a chair barking orders at her wasn't the most effective way to teach.

"Sakura, turn around."

She did what he asked and found herself looking at the mirror on the back of the bathroom door and watched her instructor stand from his seat and move behind her until she could feel his body heat against her back. Just what was he planning on doing exactly?

In all honesty, Kakashi wasn't sure himself. He just knew that it would take more than general guidelines to help her along, even if she seemed to have a natural aptitude for this kind of thing.

"Now," Kakashi said as he bent to place his head next to hers, meeting her gaze in the mirror. "I'm going to help you get a feel for how to perform a striptease by touching you a little bit. Feel free to keep dancing as the impulse hits you but see if you can begin to imitate some of the things I make you do on your own."

"O-ok…" Sakura stammered chewing on her full bottom lip again.

"This is probably going to extend way beyond the borders of your comfort zone but bear with it," he said, his breath blowing warm over her neck and Sakura fought the impulse to shiver in response.

Kakashi's hands went to her hips once more and gently coaxed them into swaying in a familiar rhythm. Sakura let her body yield to his touches as he moved to her ribcage and encouraged her to move it in correlation with her pelvis. His eyes were fixed on hers in the mirror and Sakura couldn't help but feel a little unnerved by his intense red and black gaze.

"Now, touch your body the way you did last night," he whispered against her ear, his voice suddenly lower and rougher than it had been when he was simply sitting and watching.

Her hands came up to smooth up and down her sides and tangle in her own long hair and Kakashi nodded slightly in approval.

"Good, now change up the way you move every now and then so it doesn't get monotonous. Always keep your audience guessing."

Sakura's quizzical stare clearly said she had no idea how else to move so he nudged her feet into a wider stance and pressed his front to her back, eliciting a soft gasp of surprise from his student.

"You could move like this every now and then," he said wrapping an arm around her stomach to hold her to him as he undulated her body much the way she had earlier only in a far more exaggerated move, his motion forcing her body to move along with him.

Sakura wasn't sure how to react to Kakashi's sculpted body pressing against hers. The way he was moving against her stirred something deep and primal within her and the way his hips ground against her rear made her think of other activities that would require him to move against her the same way.

She squashed the thought before it could progress, face burning as she realized just what she had been imagining but before she could dwell on it, Kakashi whispered to her.

"Keep moving on your own."

She was relieved when he stepped back a little and released his arm from around her stomach to give her some room to move so she could integrate other moves into her rippling movement. While these movements still felt strange and new, they weren't quite so awkward anymore, at least with Kakashi helping her along.

Little did she know that he was just as happy to but some distance between them as she was. Her toned cheeks and felt firm and yet pleasantly yielding against him and the friction of their slow grind promised to awake something that he would rather have lie dormant. He was doubting the validity of his own plan, wondering if it would only spell disaster for both of them but she already seemed so much more confident in her dancing that he decided to stick with it.

His large hands closed over the top of her smaller ones and gently moved them to her shirt hem.

"Now tease me," he said, sounding a little breathless.

He hadn't meant for the statement to come out sounding so…wrong, but it had. However, if Sakura picked up on all the potential innuendo his sentence held, she didn't react. Instead, she continued to sway sexily giving him tantalizing peeks at her firm stomach as her fingers hesitantly edged her shirt up and let it fall again, each time straying higher than the last.

Kakashi had seen her midriff on several occasions but never had it looked as good as it did now, all toned and flat, devoid of most of the scars that kunoichi usually had thanks to her superior healing skills. He tried to keep his touch minimal as he guided her movements until she was giving him a decent show all on her own.

"Excellent," he rasped against her ear. "Now take it off."

He watched her finally lift the shirt over her head and discard it with a flick of her wrist, shaking her head to smooth out and hair that had been mussed in the process, but as soon as her eyes focused on her form in the mirror, she tensed up again, suddenly shy that her top half was covered with nothing but a bra.

The modest white garment was nothing spectacular, especially compared to what Kakashi had seen in his time. It offered full coverage, more than most swimsuits in his opinion and was lacked any fancy embellishments like lace or ruffles. Even so, he couldn't help but think she looked damn good in it anyways. The curves he had felt beneath her shirt were now before him in all their glory, well, almost, and Kakashi could clearly see the proof that she no longer had the body of the twelve-year-old girl he had trained. She was a full fledged woman.

Sakura's hands came up to cross over her breasts defensively to hide herself but Kakashi stopped her, taking each wrist in his gentle grip once more.

"None of that," he chided against her ear. "You're supposed to be a sex kitten remember?"

Sakura nodded mutely even though her face was the same color as her hair but the face that his mismatched eyes were fixed on, her own in the mirror and not on her chest, let her relax a little.

"Now, keep making me believe that touching you is the most wonderful thing in the world," he rasped as guided her hands to her own stomach and encouraged her to run them over the smooth, tight skin.

Sakura watched their hands moving together and couldn't help it as her abdominals flexed under her own fingers. She had touched her own skin thousands of times, washing in the shower, getting dressed, healing wounds, but it had never felt like this. Even though Kakashi wasn't actually touching her, a strange heat was beginning to well up in the pit of her stomach as he showed her how to touch her own body.

His drew hers up over her ribs and fleetingly over her collarbone before coming back down to the swell of her breasts.

"Kakashi?" she asked softly, her voice unsure as her hands tensed in opposition to his movements.

"Shh, just trust me on this. A lot of men will greatly appreciate this move," he said as he positioned her hands over her own breasts, letting her palms cup the clothed mounds gently.

Sakura let out another gasp but this one was not purely of surprise and Kakashi knew it. He tried to fight down the feeling that perhaps that last move had been more for his own benefit than hers, considering the sight of her hands over her own breasts had sent a wave of pleasurable heat straight to his core, but judging by the sound she had just made, he wasn't the only one feeling good.

This could get very dangerous very quickly and Kakashi decided it was best to just move on and get this over with.

"Alright, now let's work on the shorts," he said, his voice raspier than he would have preferred. "Be a tease with the bottom half the same way you were with the top."

While Sakura was still a little uncomfortable with this situation, she had become quite curious as well. The heat inside her was burning hotter by the minute and although it was a new sensation that scared her a little, she wanted to continue exploring her sensuality alongside the man she trusted.

Without much prompting from him, she let her thumbs dip into the waistband of her shorts and pulled them down to offer glimpses of her hipbones and more creamy pale skin.

"Good, now take them off as gracefully as possible."

Sakura watched her own hands as if they were foreign objects tug at the tight black garment until it slipped down her thighs and pooled on the floor. She stepped out of them and kicked them aside, letting her eyes take in her own semi-naked form as Kakashi did the same over her shoulder.

She wanted to shield herself from his eyes but knew he wouldn't allow it so she tried to calm her raging blush and get used to the feeling of having someone besides herself see her so exposed.

"You did well," Kakashi nodded, his pulse starting to race at the sight of her. Her white cotton panties were simple and built for comfort as opposed to looks, but there was something about those bikini cut panties on her slender frame that was just as alluring as a lacy little thong in its own way. It's like she was being sexy without even trying and that made her even hotter. However, now was not the time to be pondering such things considering he shouldn't be ogling her panties at all. This was strictly for the sake of the mission dammit! He didn't want to sit here and stare at her beautiful body all day…no, not at all.

Instead of voicing any of his thoughts, he forced his eyes back to her face and noticed she was once again worrying her lip between her teeth.

"You're still not comfortable being exposed so let's work on that," he said, running his hands up and down her upper arms in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. "Just keep dancing and try to remain confident."

Sakura nodded and continued the sensual sway of her body, letting her hands move in whatever way felt natural. She must have been doing something right because she felt Kakashi's breath along the nape of her neck as he uttered phrases of praise and encouragement through his mask.

She had become acutely aware of her sensei's body behind hers, feeling his head and the brush of his clothes against her naked skin. It was as if her body had become highly sensitized during her lesson and the way his mismatched eyes were watching her body sway was only adding to that hot, liquid feeling low in her belly.

She let her eyes drift shut to block out the sight of him and instead tried to lose herself in the sound of her own slightly labored breath, letting it be the music to which she danced. She knew this should probably feel a whole lot more wrong than it did, but for some odd reason, she was finally beginning to feel comfortable with bearing herself for the viewing pleasure of men. Kakashi was enjoying watching her, that much was for certain, and she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of empowerment at the fact that he found her appealing, even if the thought was awkward and weird and probably should have made her want to stop. She had great respect for the Copy nin and admired him greatly but had never thought of anything more than a teacher and a mentor. Even saying he was her friend was pushing it. So why did the feel of his calloused fingers suddenly fluttering up and down her hips and thighs feel so…natural?

Kakashi should have called it quits the second she shut her eyes and tipped her head back against his chest, continuing to gyrate her hips as her hands skimmed her body. However, he had one more objective to fill for the evening before letting her go and that pertained to the matter of her knowing how to use facial expressions as tools of seduction. Considering her reaction to his command to act like she wanted him, he was fairly certain Sakura had never experienced a deep consuming lust and thus couldn't really relate to the concept at all. He was both terrified to do this and strangely excited which scared him even more, and Kakashi didn't scare easily.

His previous perception of Sakura as a girl had already been smashed into teeny tiny pieces and what he was about to do would blur the boundaries even more, but he honestly believed it was for her benefit.

He let his fingers trail over her jutting hip bones and down her silken thighs, feeling the muscles just beneath the skin flex and quiver as she moved. He noted that her eyes opened at his first caress and was watching him in the mirror as he touched her and while she looked a little uncertain, she didn't do anything to stop him.

His hands smoothed over her stomach and up to the white material of her bra and while he didn't cup her breasts in his hands like he had encouraged her to do, he trailed a single finger from her collarbone to her navel, right through the valley between the soft mounds. The motion forced her to inhale sharply rather than push him away, she just leaned back against him more fully, her firm ass rubbing over him again and again as she danced.

However, the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingers once again got the best of his self control. He could feel his member which had been twitching for some time now, finally harden in his pants, creating a bulge that would be impossible to hide or explain away, but if Sakura minded, she didn't show it and continued to dance without inhibitions.

Sakura normally would have questioned this strangely intimate behavior and probably would have punched the offender through the wall had it been anyone else, but she was enjoying her new found confidence and the way he was looking at her, the way he was touching her, and she couldn't recall anyone ever doing either of those things to her the way Kakashi was now. She was finally feeling sexy for the first time in her life and it felt damn good, not to mention the way his hands were rubbing over her skin was only adding to that delicious heat inside her.

Kakashi had been with enough women to know that each one had particular places that were more sensitive than others, but in Sakura's case, it seemed her whole body was responsive for every touch seemed to drive her on until he was supporting the majority of her weight and she was grinding against him fervently.

And that's when he smelt it.

His sensitized nose picked up the subtle, spicy scent of feminine arousal and that meant his task was complete, although by the hazy look in her jade eyes, he guessed that she had been aroused for some time now, he just hadn't wanted to stop.

"Sakura, take a look at yourself," he instructed, stopping his hands on her hips and holding them still to cease her maddening movements. "Look at your expression and burn it into your mind."

The kunoichi had been so caught up in his hands and her hands and the wonderful friction of their bodies that it took her a moment to focus, but what she saw shocked her. She hardly recognized the woman staring back at her. She was flushed, but for once not from embarrassment. Her long hair was mussed but not in an unattractive way and her green eyes were darkened and cloudy; and on her face was the perfect come hither expression she had been trying so hard to master the night before.

Her eyes widened at the realization, dispelling the look from her features but it remained clear in her memory and would for some time.

"What you just experienced was raw desire, although only you can say how intense it was," Kakashi whispered against the shell of her ear. "Every time you are dancing, recall this moment and how you felt because if you can dance on stage the way you were just now, you will undoubtedly be the sexiest thing in the room. You had me convinced Sakura. Congratulations."

At first, Sakura didn't know what to say. Her mind was still a little clouded by the haze and the heat that Kakashi had effectively surrounded her with, not to mention the wonderful, tingling sensation in some of her naughtier parts. But gradually she came to the realization that her sensei had managed to turn her on, to get her sexually aroused, and she was hit by a wave of conflicting emotions as she brought her hand to cover her mouth as she turned around to face him.

On one hand, what he had been doing to her had felt good, incredibly good, the way their bodies had moved together made her feel sexy, womanly, something she didn't often get to feel while working at the hospital. However, he was her teacher for fucks sake! Even if this experience was to help her with a mission, how could she justify enjoying grinding against her teacher, a man fourteen years older than her, while she danced half naked?

Sure she had known he was getting her hot and bothered as she danced, but she hadn't really thought about it. Now that he wasn't so close to her and wasn't touching her in that fantastic way, she could look at things with a clear head, and wasn't sure what to make of the situation.

Kakashi could see the shock in her eyes and sensed she was on the verge of a major freak out now that she realized just what she had been feeling inside of her and just what had been rubbing against her. Rather than let her launch a panic attack, he dropped to one knee in front of her just as she finally found words to speak.

"Kakashi…I…you…"

"It's ok Sakura, what you experienced was perfectly normal. Your body reacted and so did mine."

"B-but…you're my sensei," she said in a scandalized voice before jabbing him in the chest with a finger. "How the hell could you do something like that?"

"Look, it's not like I wanted to," Kakashi said, grabbing the wrist of the hand poking him hard enough to leave a bruise. "But you were lacking in that particular area of life experience and I feel it will benefit this mission for you to gain it."

"Yeah, well…" Sakura grumbled as she averted her eyes and relaxed the hand that he held. "You didn't have to like it so much."

Kakashi was aware that he still had a raging hard on but there was little he could do about it at the moment.

"Sakura, you're a medic. You should know how that particular piece of anatomy works. Sometimes it has a mind of its own."

"You keep saying I should know but it's pretty obvious by now that I'm not that well acquainted with…you know," Sakura trailed off as she turned away from him, intending to grab her clothes and hide in the bathroom until the mortification dissipated since that was the only place she could get away from him.

She was surprise when instead of releasing her hand, she was jerked back to him with just enough force so as not to hurt her.

"Sakura," he said, his dark eye lucid and sincere. "We agreed we wouldn't let things get weird between us. Don't go running off now instead of facing this because it won't make it any better."

The kunoichi let out a heavy sigh. He just knew her too well. It seemed unfair considering how little she actually knew about him.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just that…I never expected to be like that…with you."

"I know," Kakashi said meeting her emerald gaze evenly. "And I'm sorry the first time you experienced that had to be with me. You deserve to actually have it mean something but with mission circumstances being what they are, understand I had to take action."

"I know," Sakura said softly. "I don't blame you."

"Good," Kakashi said, straightening to his full height and tousling her bangs like he had when she was younger. The gesture was strangely comforting, like it signified that despite what had just happened, nothing had really changed between them and she had to keep herself from wrapping her arms around him in a grateful hug.

The moment of comfort was brief and as he stepped away, Sakura looked away as she noticed there was still a prominent bulge in his pants.

"Well, I would suggest we um…get to sleep but maybe…you should…"

Kakashi looked down before rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Maybe I should take the floor again tonight," he suggested.

"No, it's ok," Sakura said quickly, not wanting him to resign himself to the hard, cold, and possibly unsanitary carpet. "Just do whatever you need to do. I'll leave room for you."

Kakashi nodded as she picked up her clothes and pulled her shirt back over her head.

"I'll just take a short shower then," Kakashi said, edging off towards the bathroom as she stepped into her shorts and headed for bed.

Once inside the haven of the tiny room, still slightly steamy from Sakura's previous shower, Kakashi rested his forehead against the closed door, wondering just how much more of this he could bear. On one hand he knew he had had good reason for his actions but on the other, a voice inside told him that he had no right to take that innocence from his former student. Lust was an emotion she would be dealing with regularly and she wouldn't be able to act accordingly unless she had experienced it herself. However, there was a part of him that undeniably liked what they had done far too much and the proof was still there, hard and throbbing in his pants.

Wearily, he stripped off his clothes, feeling relief as his restrained member sprung free from its confines and bounced lightly against his stomach. He reached inside the shower, hand hovering over the cold water knob but after a moment's hesitation, cranked on the hot before stepping into the spray.

As much as he knew it was wrong, he couldn't handle another night of self deprivation while thoughts of their recent encounter danced in his head. The memory of her skin under his fingertips was still fresh in his mind and it only made him throb all the more painfully.

He would probably go to hell for this, even though he was probably destined to end up there anyways after living the life he had, but his conscious still warred inside his head even as he grabbed his manhood in one hand and began to pump his length in long hard strokes under the shower's hot spray.

He tried to block her image from his mind as he neared release, focusing on lovers from the past or simply faceless women doing wonderful things to him. He felt his stomach muscles tense and spasm as blissful sensations rolled through him and began to move his hand faster as he felt his much needed orgasm building inside of him.

Because of a long dry spell and the recent visual stimulation provided by the woman in the other room, he could feel the immense intensity of his peak coiling in his stomach and braced his free hand against the tiled wall in preparation, letting the cool surface support him fully as his knees began to weaken. He grit his teeth against the searing pleasure and continued to stroke his swollen shaft as images of women that he insisted were definitely not Sakura flashed in his mind's eye.

Yet when he finally reached his pinnacle, his hot, spurting seed carrying all the pent up frustration of the past few days, he realized that the faceless woman in his mind had long, beautiful pink hair.

XXXXX

I know that was surprisingly tame compared to the explicit things I've written in the past but it's too soon for a full blown lemon. You'll have to bare with me here. Reviews are welcome as always and I hope to post the next chapter relatively soon.

J-Pop


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone, here's the next chapter FINALLY! I'm sorry for the wait but school has been all-consuming.

As always, thanks to my beta crew!

I do not own Naruto. This story contains mature content.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare-Chapter 5

The fair weather, or what could at least be considered fair weather in Rain Territory, held for most of the morning. While the clouds above were gray and angry, no rain fell until almost noon and by then, they had reached the edge of Fuzen Machi.

Sakura had been more and more awed with every passing mile as the buildings grew taller and the lights grew flashier. The technology this part of the world possessed made her own hometown seem humble and bumbling. Kakashi must have picked up on her feelings because he chuckled softly and noted that while Fuzen Machi and the surrounding cities may have had access to state of the art technology, some things were better left simplified. Looking around, Sakura supposed she had to agree, for while these people lived in a modern world of neon lights and steel, none of them looked very happy. In Konoha, happy faces were everywhere.

The comment made her feel better but she couldn't help but be a bit overwhelmed by it all as opposed to Kakashi who seemed perfectly at ease in the dirty, narrow streets. She was thankful he had accompanied her, for the thought of braving such a strange, new world alone was unappealing and a little intimidating. It was hard to believe all this existed just five days away from Hidden Leaf.

Now that they were in the city, conversation was minimal since they had to speak much louder to make themselves heard, but before they had left the lush roadside greenery behind for concrete and chrome, the had talked together comfortably about nothing in particular.

Despite the odd chain of events that had taken place last night, Kakashi hadn't acted strangely at all upon awaking beside her the next morning, and for that she was grateful. It seemed he had stayed true to the promise of not letting things become awkward between them anymore, and his relaxed demeanor made it easier to brush last night's activities under a rug and pretend that none of it had ever happened.

Only, it had happened and it appeared Sakura's mind was not willing to let her forget so easily. Perhaps it was because he had introduced her to her very first experience regarding lust and desire and he had managed to actually make her feel sexy. Whatever the reason, it left her feeling a little torn between wanting him to make her feel that way again, and wanting to keep her distance, considering they were teacher and student and feeling something like that for him was way out of line.

However upon entering the city, the bright lights and immense buildings effectively distracted her as they made their way to the given address of the club. They found the correct street just as the first raindrops began to fall, urging them to hurry along to avoid getting soaked.

Their client's establishment was a drab two story building crowded into a back ally. A large neon sign huge over the door and though it wasn't on at the moment, she could see that it would flash the word "girls" in hot pink as soon as it got dark. Over the door was a similar sign in green reading "Wet Dreams", obviously the name of the club.

"Classy," Sakura muttered sarcastically as she draped her shawl over her frizzing pink hair to keep it from getting drenched and made her way to the solid looking door that appeared as if it hadn't seen soap and a sponge in quite some time.

"You ready for this?" Kakashi asked, pausing with his had on the smooth metallic surface.

"Even if I'm not, it's too late to turn back now," Sakura said with a sigh.

That wasn't exactly the answer he had been hoping for but he gave a short nod and proceeded anyways.

Even though the club wouldn't be open until nightfall, the door yielded under the firm press of Kakashi's hand and swung inward to grant them relief from the rain which was beginning to fall harder.

It took a moment before their eyes could adjust to the darkness within. Only one light was on in the back of the room and gave just enough light for Sakura to make out a small bar on one side of the room and several tables and chairs packed throughout the rest of the space. What really caught her attention though were the raised platforms scattered around the room and in the center of these were narrow silver poles that extended all the way to the ceiling.

Sakura envisioned the room full of people and what it would be like to be dancing on one of those stages. Basically, she would be a piece of meat on display and she tried not to shudder at the thought of it.

The building seemed totally empty and their footsteps echoed slightly and they ventured further inside, letting the heavy door swing shut behind them.

"Hello?" Sakura called softly, looking around for any sign of life. When she received no reply, she looked at Kakashi quizzically.

"Does the mission outline say anything about where to meet our client?"

Kakashi shook his head without consulting the scroll. He had already memorized its contents before even leaving Konoha.

"No, it just said to come to the club and I'm positive this is the right place."

Just then, a door opened off to the left, streaming light into the dark room.

"Who's there?" a male voice called as a head stuck out around the corner to observe the trespassers.

"Dajaku-san?" Kakashi asked and the man's eyes instantly narrowed.

"Yeah, who wants to know?"

"We're the Konoha ninja you requested sir," Sakura said politely despite their less than warm greeting. "I'm Sakura Haruno and this is my partner Kakashi Hatake."

The comment finally drew the man out into the open and he walked over to the couple, eyeing them critically.

The first thing Sakura noticed about the man was his height. He was only a couple of inches taller than herself and Kakashi's tall form dwarfed him. He was dressed in a simple collared shirt and dark pants, modern clothing that coincided with the rest of the town.

He stopped a few feet from them, beady eyes darting from Kakashi to Sakura.

"I only requested a kunoichi. What are you doing here?" he asked, jutting his chin in the Copy nin's direction.

Sakura was a little taken aback at this man's blatant rudeness, especially since he was the one that had requested Konoha's help in the first place. Kakashi on the other hand, seemed unfazed.

"Our superior felt we would not be able to complete the mission adequately with only a single shinobi on the job. We will be working as a team, her as a dancer and myself as an undercover patron to this club."

His voice was calm and rational but carried an underlying tone of finality; one that said, "If you don't like it, we'll pack up and leave."

Dajaku studied them a moment longer before seeming to relent, although he still eyed both of them suspiciously.

He turned and beckoned for them to follow him into the lighted room from which he had first emerged.

Sakura saw movement out of the corner of her eye and tensed but when she turned her head, she found it was only her reflection. One of the walls held a large mirror and she mused that it seemed like an odd place to put such a thing.

She hadn't noticed before but the corner on the large room had been walled off and when she stepped in, she realized he had made it into a sort of office. One of the walls was a large window that allowed him to see the entire club but she didn't remember being able to see in to the office. The panel must have been made of one-sided glass, the mirror on the outside being the reverse.

The inside of the room was covered with pictures and posters, most being advertisements for his own club and photos of himself with various scantily clad and sometimes naked woman. Some pictures showed girls in various states of undress as they performed on stage and Sakura swallowed hard, knowing that very soon, she would have to do the same. However, she was pleased to see that not all of the women in the pictures had bountiful breasts. Some looked even flatter than herself and still managed to look incredible. One of the more recent posters featured a perfectly proportioned girl with long, flowing lavender hair who was in the process of blowing a kiss to the camera while her free arm draped over her bare breasts, barely keeping herself decent. The girl was gorgeous, breath taking even, and Sakura wondered if she could ever be that daring and beautiful and sexy.

"Now," Dajuku said, settling into a plush chair, his words bringing Sakura's attention back to him. "Let's talk business."

There were no other chairs in the room, forcing the two shinobi to stand in the cramped space but neither really minded much. In the light, they were granted a better view of him and the eyes that had looked beady in the dark were actually an odd shade of silvery gray. His dark hair was thinning but he attempted to hide it with an intricate comb-over; something Sakura had always found hilarious. Judging by his face, he didn't look that old, maybe in his mid forties and Sakura guessed that he had actually been quite handsome in his younger days. Except for the ridiculous comb-over, he actually wasn't so bad looking now.

Sakura watched him fold his hands carefully on the smooth wooden surface of his desk and noted the gaudy golden rings, some containing large stones, which adorned almost every finger. Each one probably cost what she would be getting paid for this entire mission and she couldn't help but wonder just where he had gotten the money for such baubles. The club couldn't be that profitable, could it?

"As you are aware, I have had a series of disappearances at my club," Dajaku said seriously, eyes fixing on Sakura without giving her partner a second glance. "The first one was six months ago and I thought perhaps it was just a fluke. This isn't exactly the best part of town after all."

Sakura nodded as if in understanding but was secretly thinking if any part of Fuzen Machi was anything but a bad neighborhood.

"However, two months ago, another one disappeared and I was beginning to think it was more than just a coincidence. When Aiya went missing two weeks ago I knew I had to do something and that's when I sent my request to Konoha."

He told his story calmly enough but the knuckles of his interlaced fingers were white, as if he were squeezing them together hard, betraying what Sakura guessed to be stress and worry.

"But why contact Konoha?" Kakashi asked, his hands shoved in his pockets as he stood in his usual slouch. "Suna is much closer than us and you would have been able to get someone here much quicker."

Dajaku looked at Kakashi with mild irritation, clearly not liking being interrupted or questioned but answered the inquiry anyways.

"A colleague of mine had actually passed through Konoha a while back on his way to the Eastern coast and mentioned in one of his letters how beautiful the kunoichi of that village were. I figured that if I was going to pay for a woman's help, I might as well get my money's worth. I had heard there were some real lookers in the Hyuuga clan, but I like you too. I don't have a pinkie working for me yet."

Sakura tried not to be offended, knowing that looks were almost as important as actual skill when it came to stripping. However, she couldn't help but feel a little annoyed by his chauvinistic views. If he were really acting in his dancer's best interest, he would have called Suna and she could only guess that the reason he called anyone at all was because having girls going missing all the time was bad for business.

At the mention of the Hyuuga name, she envisioned timid Hinata having to dance for Kakashi as she had done. The poor girl would have been stone dead by now if she had taken this mission, killed by her own embarrassment.

Kakashi gave a noncommittal "hmm," but she could tell he wasn't all that thrilled with their client's answer either.

"So how did the girls disappear exactly?" the Copy nin asked, the eye not covered by his eye patch fixed pointedly on the man behind the desk.

Dajaku shot him another irritated look and became clear that he didn't like his presence in his office.

"They were working their night shifts as normal, working the pole, giving lap dances, and only when the club closed down did we realized we were short one girl."

He sat back in his chair wearily and plucked a framed picture off his desk, looking at it for a moment.

"Poor Aiya, she was such a pretty little thing. She brought in a lot of customers too."

"Is that the latest girl who was captured?" Sakura asked and Dajaku nodded, handing the picture over for then to look at.

"We looked high and low for all of them," the club owner continued. "But there wasn't a trace of any of them. All their things were still in their rooms so I know they didn't run off with anyone. It took a lot of effort just to keep the other girls from panicking."

Sakura gazed at the girl in the picture. She was young, probably even younger than herself. She was wearing a lacy green baby doll and matching g-string that went nice with her sandy blonde hair, but what stood out to Sakura the most was that she wore an expression that was neither sultry nor seductive, but a genuine smile that would no doubt light up a room.

Kakashi leaned in to examine the picture as well before she handed it back to Dajuku. As he took the framed photograph, he looked at her carefully, silver eyes seeming to appraise her, scanning what he could see from behind his desk.

"Sakura was it?" he asked and she nodded. "Such a pretty name," he mused. "It suits you."

"Thank you sir, but I think it would be best if I had a code name for this mission on the off chance anybody recognized my true name. A lot of shinobi come to your club after all."

"Pity," he said with a shrug. "I rather liked it. What shall I call you instead?"

Sakura glanced over at Kakashi sheepishly. In all honesty, she hadn't thought that far.

"How about Hana?" Dajaku offered when he saw she had no ideas of her own. "It still fits you well I think."

Sakura nodded her agreement. The name actually wasn't half bad.

"So, I know what part you will play," the club owner said to Sakura. "You will dance obviously, and extract information as you go, but what do you intend to do?"

The condescending tone was not lost on Kakashi and he stood up a little straighter, wondering how a man of Dajuku's stature could be so ballsy when talking to an elite shinobi.

"I will act as a normal patron of this club," he said calmly, fixing the smaller man with his one-eyed gaze. "I will blend in with the crowd on the nights Sakura dances and assist her in looking for anyone suspicious as well as research any leads we might get."

"I see," Dajaku said, his grey eyes hardening into steel as he settled back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "And how much is your extra assistance going to cost me?"

Sakura could tolerate rudeness to a point, at least when it was directed at her, but seeing their client who had specifically asked for shinobi assistance greet Kakashi with such hostility quickly wore on Sakura's patience.

"Look, if you've changed your mind about needing our services, we can go back to Konoha," she said flatly, taking a step forward and placing both palms on his desk. She made sure he was meeting her eyes as she spoke in a stern voice. "If you still want to employ Leaf ninjas, you will have to employ both of us and that means paying for the services of two shinobi. Take it or leave it."

Dajaku seemed a little taken aback at the kunoichi's statement and even Kakashi stood in surprised silence. He knew she had taken on some of Tsunade's personality traits while under her tutelage such as her fiery temper and short fuse, but seeing proof of it in front of him was a little startling.

Even though he probably should have reprimanded her for being rude to a client, he couldn't bring himself to scold her since inside he was silently applauding her actions.

The balding man looked from Sakura to Kakashi and back to Sakura again, as if debating if the kunoichi was worth paying the price for two shinobi.

"All right," he said with a defeated sigh, shrugging his shoulders as if the whole thing was inconsequential after all. "However, I can only grant the kunoichi room and board. You…Tahake-san?"

"Hatake," Kakashi corrected shortly.

"Yes, yes," he said with a wave of his hand. "You will have to find housing somewhere else I'm afraid. I don't have an extra room for a male."

Kakashi nodded. He thought that might be the case, although it annoyed him a little that he would have to pay for it out of his own pocket seeing as Tsunade had not calculated that into the money she had sent along to cover travel expenses.

Sakura on the other hand didn't seem at all keen on the idea and was just about to open her mouth and say something else when he put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her gently back from the desk, silently communicating that further discussion of the topic was unnecessary.

Sakura grudgingly relented as Dajaku seemed to relax a little now that the headstrong kunoichi wasn't glaring in his face.

"Is there anything we should know before we scout around the place?" Kakashi asked, becoming increasingly eager to get away from the man that was rubbing him the wrong way.

Dajaku was thoughtful for a moment before answering.

"I would like your presence here to be kept a complete secret. In all honesty, the only people who know we've had girls disappear are myself and the other dancers here. It's essential you to do nothing that disturbs the workings of the club, especially while it's open at night. That would be bad for business you know."

Sakura noted that his demeanor was slowly changing. He had become less wary, his gaze less scrutinizing as he accepted the fact that the pair in his office were there to help, not to harm.

"We intend to be practically invisible," Kakashi assured.

"Yes, and in fact, I would rather that not even the other dancers know who I really am," Sakura added. "If they truly believe I am one of them, maybe I can gain some extra information.

Dajuku nodded and said he would see that it was so before asking if they needed anything else.

"Yes actually," Kakashi said. "Do you have any friends who own similar clubs or know of anybody else who might want this club to fail?" Kakashi asked.

The man in the chair chuckled and shook his head.

"I know a few of the other club owners around town but some of the places are a little ritzy, at least when compared with this place. We do just fine here but we are by no means the best in the business. I can't see any of them bothering to view me as competition."

"Well is there anyone else then? Someone who has a personal vendetta against you? Or maybe someone you own money to?"

Dajaku shook his head.

"Nope, all my loans were paid long ago."

Despite his assurances, Sakura wondered if there was something money related at the bottom of this mystery. The man seemed to love his gold a little too much.

"All right, well I suppose that is all we need for now," Kakashi said. "We'll ask more questions as they come up."

Dajaku nodded and stood and even bent slightly at the waist in a small bow to the two before flashing them a smile, a very handsome smile in fact. It appeared he had warmed up to the idea of paying for two shinobi and he instantly smoothed out the rough edges of his personality.

"I apologize for my behavior earlier," he said, his once hard and critical face now taking on a much friendly demeanor. "These are rough parts and you never know who is going to come around looking for you, and when two shinobi show up when I had only requested one, well, what was I supposed to think?"

Sakura secretly answered that he could have taken the stick out of his ass and attempted to act civil but she held her tongue.

"Well, now that all that is out of the way, let's get on with the audition."

The pink haired woman didn't even realize Dajaku was talking about her audition until Kakashi placed a strong hand on her shoulder, palpable even through her several layers of clothing.

"She doesn't need an audition," he said tightly, his voice daring him to say otherwise.

Dajaku took that dare.

"If she is going to be dancing at my club, I want to make sure her skills are up to my standards. I can't put just anyone on that stage," he said as he rose from his chair but still unable to become eye level with the tall Copy nin.

"And if she's not?" Kakashi continued, his hand squeezing her shoulder a little. "Will you send her home in hopes of a replacement? You outlined your requirements in your letter and we assigned an appropriate kunoichi. Her skills are sufficient."

Kakashi wasn't sure why he was so against Sakura auditioning. After all, she would be naked or close to it on stage soon enough and maybe a little practice would be good for her. However, Kakashi was fairly certain this wasn't about assessing her skills. He just wanted to be entertained by a fresh piece of meat and he wasn't about to let Sakura deal with that. Dajaku could see her debut along with everyone else when she danced for the first time.

The club owner's gruff introduction had left a bitter taste in his mouth and Kakashi found himself still wary of the money-loving man. His fears were unfounded and probably had no merit but the thought of him ogling Sakura as he forced her to give him a free show just for kicks has him very ticked off.

Dajaku looked at Kakashi before letting his eyes rove to the woman behind him as if weighing the sight of Sakura's body against the anger of the tall shinobi. Apparently he decided he could wait.

"All right fine, if you say she's good enough then I'll take your word for it," he said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Sakura let out the breath she hadn't known she had been holding. She hadn't wanted to perform solely for this man either and was thankful Kakashi had gotten her out of it.

"I believe we have nothing else to discuss so if you would like, I can introduce you to the other dancers,"

Sakura nodded and the headed for the door, Dajaku in the front with Kakashi bringing up the rear.

As they emerged into the darkness of the club's main room, Dajaku mentioned that if Kakashi wished to keep his relationship with Sakura a secret, he should probably leave the club before another dancer spotted him.

The shinobi agreed and wrapped his scarf tighter around his face in preparation to brave the rainy weather once more.

"Will you be performing tonight?" he asked, placing a hand on the large metal door.

Sakura looked to Dajaku for confirmation.

"If you would like, you can have tonight to get settled in and watch the other dancers from the wings to see how things are done around here and make tomorrow your first performance."

Kakashi nodded in understanding before slipping out the door and into the steadily falling rain.

For some odd reason, Sakura found herself feeling a little disappointed that her partner hadn't even said good bye. True he would see her again tomorrow night but she had been hoping for at least a few parting words of encouragement. Then again, this was Kakashi after all and that sort of thing was never his style.

The feeling left her quickly when Dajaku spoke.

"How do you put up with him? Are all male ninja like that?"

Sakura had to suppress a snort.

"No, Kakashi is…special."

If every male shinobi was like Kakashi, she would have gone out of her mind a long time ago.

"Thank goodness for that," Dajaku chuckled, motioning for her to follow him.

"All living quarters are upstairs. That's where the girls are now. You'll be rooming with one or two of them, seeing how there's a couple of beds free after the recent disappearances."

Sakura followed him as he expertly wove his way between the tables even in the near darkness until they reached a long narrow platform on the side of the room opposite the bar that looked like three of the mini stages pushed together. Deep red curtains made the perfect backdrop and Sakura saw they actually made up the wings. She followed the short man behind them into what must be a dressing room and saw that there was a narrow staircase nearly obscured by make up mirrors that led to the second floor.

"I'm rather glad you're here. I've been worried for the safety of my girls, since I suppose, I'm a little like a father figure to them now. I take care of them and in return, they keep Wet Dreams going. I hate the thought of another one disappearing."

Sakura wondered how the hell he could say the club name in conversation with a straight face and also what kind of father would encourage his so-called daughters to dance naked for crowds of perverted men but held her tongue. While Sakura would have liked to believe he was genuinely concerned for his dancers, she wondered if he was more worried about the money he would lose if the rest of the girls up and quit if the attacker struck again.

"Do you think there could be something in any of the girls' pasts that could be connected to the abductions?" Sakura asked as they began to ascend the stairs.

"Possibly, but I doubt it," Dajaku said over his shoulder. "All of the dancers here are orphans for one reason or another. Whatever life they led before is irrelevant as far as I'm concerned and I take care of them because they have nowhere else to go."

Yeah, that sounded benevolent and all but Sakura had a sneaking suspicion he only took in girls that looked good in G-strings who might make him some cold, hard cash.

At the top of the staircase was a solid looking door and Dajaku withdrew a bronze key from one of his pockets.

"You lock them in?" Sakura asked incredulously as he turned the key in the lock.

"No, no. A few of the girls have their own key and can unlock it from the other side but lately, we've been doing this as a precaution. We don't want anyone unwelcome finding their way up here, especially in light of recent events."

He pushed the door open and Sakura immediately felt a pleasant heat warm her, taking the edge off the chill of her wet clothes.

The room wasn't very large but was warmer and brighter than any other place she had been in the club. It was obvious it was some sort of common room, the space crammed with several shabby but comfortable looking chairs as well as a table and a book case full of various books, but all that was hardly worth mentioning in comparison with the five pairs of striking eyes that were all currently trained on her.

It appeared that two of the girls had been huddled around the small table playing some sort of card game while another with long black hair was stretched out on her back on one of the sofas with a book in hand. The last two were seated on the floor, a girl with short, dark hair braiding the brown tresses of the girl in front of her. Apparently, these activities were far less interesting than staring at the girl in front of them.

"Ladies, this is Hana," Dajaku said, stepping into the room with Sakura in tow to allow them all to see her better. "She's the newest addition to our family so please make her feel welcome."

At first, nobody spoke at all and just continued to stare quietly and Sakura was beginning to feel a tad bit uncomfortable. Maybe they weren't really receptive to newcomers.

However, one of the girls at the table finally shattered the silence.

"Oh wow! You're so pretty!"

The other girls murmured their agreements while the speaker hopped up from her chair and trotted over. She was smaller than Sakura and had blonde curly hair that bobbed around her cherubic face with every movement. Her big blue eyes held a sweet kind of innocence and Sakura had a hard time envisioning her dancing on one of the poles downstairs.

"I'm Misaki," she said, offering a hand for Sakura to shake. "If you ever need anything just let me know and I'll be happy to help!"

"Thank you," Sakura replied, a little surprised at such a warm welcome.

"So what brings you here?" asked the second card player as she flipped exquisite red hair over her shoulder and gazed at her with striking violet eyes from over the cards in her hand.

"Well, I honestly never expected to end up in a place like this," Sakura replied truthfully. "But I didn't really have a choice."

"Honey the same goes for all of us," the girl on the floor piped up from her cross-legged position as she finished braiding the hair in her hands. "None of us ever thought we would be doing what we do but here we are, brought together for one reason or another."

All the girls nodded in unison and Sakura could sympathize. Fate had led them here and taking their clothes off for a living was now their life, not just a role they played for a particular mission. When all this was over, Sakura would be able to return home, but not these girls, and Sakura couldn't help feel sadness for them.

"Well let's not leave her standing in the doorway," the woman on the couch spoke up quietly as she sat up to make room on the couch.

"Yes, yes! Have a seat!" Misaki said enthusiastically, grabbing Sakura's hand and practically dragging her to the couch where she suddenly found herself sitting between the blonde and the woman who had been reading.

"You're name is Hana right?" she said in her quiet, gentle voice.

"Yes," Sakura nodded.

"My name Miyabi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Tora," the hair braider on the floor said.

"I'm Jitsu," the brown haired girl said with a tentative wave.

"And I'm Kitsune," the red head spoke up.

Sakura looked at each of them as they spoke, making a mental note of their names. They were all so unique and breathtakingly beautiful in their own way, even in the comfortable sweats and tank tops most of them wore and once again she wondered why they had all resigned themselves to living here. Any one of them could have become a model with little effort if they tried.

"I've never seen pink hair before," Misaki mused as she examined her damp tresses. "They're so cool!"

"And those green eyes," Tora added. "Honey, you're gorgeous! You'll fit right in."

The group giggled and agreed and Sakura was beginning to wonder if perhaps this mission wouldn't be so bad if she got to spend it in the company of these women who seemed so kind.

Just then a door at the back of the room opened and another woman emerged. If Sakura had thought the other girls were beautiful, this one was absolutely captivating and Sakura instantly recognized her as the purple haired girl that had been on the poster in Dajaku's office. She was dressed nicer than the rest, foregoing comfort for fashion in a low cut sweater and tight fitting pants that only accentuated her slim waist and generous curves. Her purple tresses were pulled into a high ponytail but the length of them still flowed down her back.

Despite her indisputable beauty, Sakura saw her eyes narrow slightly as they settled on hers before she fixed a slightly strained smile in place.

"Oh, who do we have here?" she said as she walked to the door in which Sakura had entered.

"This is Hana," Misaki offered with a smile. "She's going to be staying with us."

"I see," the woman said, seeming to look Sakura over critically from where she was standing. "That's wonderful."

Despite her smile, Sakura could tell there was no warmth in her voice or her eyes, her aquamarine eyes remaining cold and calculating.

With a final glance, the woman extracted a key and unlocked the door, passing into the stairwell and Sakura could hear the turn of the key in the lock and her echoing footsteps as she descended the stairs.

"Don't mind Tsurenai," Kitsune said, getting up from her chair to lean on the back of the couch. "She'll warm up when she realizes you're not here to steal her spotlight."

"Spotlight?" Sakura asked, not being well acquainted with show business lingo.

"She's a diva, and the club's star dancer. That's why she gets her own room."

"And she wears all those fancy clothes because she makes way more in tips," Masaki said with a sigh.

"So if she turns up her nose at you, don't worry about it honey. That's just how she is." Tora added from the floor, jerking her head in the direction of the door.

Sakura's head was turning in every direction as she tried to keep up with myriad of comments. This was worse than when Team Seven and Team Ten had gone out to dinner. Everyone one had been talking at once…well, except Shikamaru and Sasuke who found it to be too much of an effort. It had mostly been Naruto and Ino fighting for the attention while yelling at Chouji to stop eating everything in sight.

"We don't really mind it though," Kitsune said from her spot behind the couch. "She keeps men coming to the club and once they're there, it presents opportunity for the rest of us. She's the reason a little club like this does so well."

It was obvious nobody really talked to Tsurenai and having her own room meant she spent a lot of time alone. Sakura was surprised that with a face and figure like that, she hadn't already been abducted.

Although the diva would probably hate her for it, Sakura decided it would probably be a good idea to keep an eye on her since she was a likely target for future attacks.

"So Hana," Misaki piped up again. "You're going to stay in the room with Miyabi and me right? I'll even let you have the top bunk! Come on, it will be fun!"

The kunoichi couldn't help but smile that even though all these women were close to her age, the sunny blonde seemed to be treating her arrival like she was a friend coming for a pre teen sleepover.

"All right Misaki," she answered. "But you can keep the top bunk."

XXXXX

The windowless living space was small to say the least. Two bunk beds took up the longer walls of the rectangular room leaving a pathway of three or four feet between which started at the door and ended at a tall and narrow dresser that filled the space between the bunks at the back of the room. There was a little bit of room in front of the beds and in one corner was a full length mirror. The other corner in front of the adjacent bunk held a crude bookcase that held a couple pairs of shoes, miscellaneous knick knacks and a framed picture of all the girls she had met a moment ago. At first glance she didn't see purple hair and assumed that Tsurenai was not in the picture.

The only light in the room came from a squat lamp on top of the bookcase and while left the far corners in shadows, it was adequate.

"Well, this is it," Misaki said cheerfully, pushing Sakura gently into the room. "Welcome to your new home."

"It's nothing fancy but it beats the streets." Miyabi added.

Sakura unshouldered her damp pack she had been carrying all this time and set it on the floor. There was nothing in its contents that would reveal her as a ninja and felt no need to hide it.

"Thank you for being so kind to me," Sakura said genuinely. If she had had to face an already difficult situation without the company of such sweet girls, she wasn't sure what she would have done.

"Don't mention it," the blonde said as she plopped onto one of the bottom bunks where Miyabi had already gracefully sat. "I'm just glad you found this place safely. The city can be dangerous for people like us."

Sakura nodded even though she knew she wasn't anything like these girls and could handle herself just fine in a dark and gritty town like Fuzen Machi.

"How long have you two been here?" Sakura asked, curious to find out more about the girls she would now be living with.

"Well, I came here about eight months ago, so I'm still pretty new," Misaki admitted as Sakura took a seat on the bunk across from them. "In fact, I was the newest addition until you came so I guess now I'm not the baby anymore!"

"Misaki, you'll always be the baby," Miyabi said with a soft smile and the kunoichi couldn't help but giggle. With that rounded face and bouncy attitude, she could see why the blonde would never be able to escape that title.

"Aww, you're so mean Miya!" she pouted and Sakura couldn't help a small laugh at her adorable display. They looked so much like an older sister reprimanding the younger one, even if they looked nothing alike.

"What about you Miyabi?" Sakura asked, nodding towards the taller woman.

"I've been here since I was sixteen," she admitted quietly, hands folded in her lap and her eyes cast down to the floor. "I was one of the first Dajaku recruited when he opened his club and I've been here ever since."

Sixteen? Sakura's mind screamed. She couldn't imagine doing this sort of thing at sixteen. While she had known what sex was at that age, she certainly hadn't been able to wrap her mind around the concept of sexuality and arousal. It wasn't until her recent encounter with Kakashi at the inn that she had even grasped the true feeling of blatant sexual desire. To be fully knowledgeable of such things at such a young age and to have to use that knowledge and expose her body just to get by…it was a horrible thought.

"Wow," was all she managed to say aloud.

"Yeah, Miyabi is an old pro at dancing," Misaki smiled. "I think she's the best dancer here! She's even better than Tsurenai and everybody knows it. That's why she hates Miya so much."

"Oh?" Sakura asked, raising a pink eyebrow. The aqua eyed diva had seemed so cold and impassive and she was surprised that Tsurenai would be so petty when her position as star dancer seemed secure.

"Tsu doesn't like anyone who's better than her," Misaki shrugged. "She usually ignores all of us but if you get on her bad side, watch out! That woman can be a real pain! Then again, if you don't have men flocking to you and are content with taking the men she turns away, she pretty much leaves you alone."

It seemed that even in the dark world of exotic dancers there was a hierarchy to be followed and since she was the newest, she was automatically on the bottom. Sakura didn't mind much, considering she would rather not be here at all and the girls had made her feel so welcome she hardly felt like she was the lowest on the proverbial ladder. However, if she wanted to solve this mystery and help these women, she would have to be able to interrogate whomever she wanted and that meant she couldn't stay on the bottom forever. With all these beautiful people with far more experience, she wondered if it was even possible to climb a rung or two.

"Enough about her," Miyabi said quietly, lifting her dark eyes from the floor. "I'm sure you'll hear more than enough about her during your first few days here."

"Yeah," Misaki chimed in, motioning for Sakura to come join them on the bed. "What about you Hana? How did you end up here?"

Sakura had expected they would be curious about her past and had a fabricated story ready but the duo seemed so open and honest with her that she felt a little bad about lying.

"Well, this isn't exactly where I had planned on coming. It was all kind of a big accident," she started.

"Believe me," the blonde sympathized. "None of us are here because we want to be. Stripping isn't exactly what we had dreamed of doing with our lives but we have nowhere else to go."

"Yes," Sakura pretended to admit as she got up from her own seat and sat down between the two dancers. "I supposed if I hadn't found this place I'd still be wandering in the rain…or worse."

"What happened?" Misaki asked, blue eyes growing wide as she waited for Sakura to tell her tale while Miyabi continued to quietly sit.

"Well, I was born in a very small village on the Northern edge of Rain Territory," Sakura fibbed. "We were peaceful despite the constant warring going on since we were so far removed from any other settlement. I was an only child living with my mother and father and although we lived the humble lives of farmers, we were all very happy."

Her listeners were both looking at her, waiting for her to go on, Misaki's bright eyes betraying her eagerness while Miyabi remained as calm and composed as ever.

"The wars of conflicting political groups had always stayed far away but as one regime gained power, they stretched farther and farther outwards in attempts to conquer anyone who opposed their views," Sakura said, drawing her story from her knowledge of recent history in the politically unstable country. "We knew of this but it had never affected us much, so when a small band of tired and hungry men came looking for shelter, we gladly took them in. Only when their pursuers came looking for them did we realize they were in fact key members of a group that had lost power to one of the more violent political parties and they had come to wipe out the last traces of the opposition."

"Oh no!" Misaki gasped, knowing what was coming.

"They didn't even bother asking questions," Sakura said sadly, knowing that this story could very well be true for many people actually living in the rogue country. "They just burned everything, homes, businesses, farms. They killed whoever they saw, innocent or not and left as quickly as they had come. The only reason I lived was because I had offered to pick berries from bushes several miles off for a pie my mother was going to bake. I heard the screaming and saw the flames from where I was but by the time I got back there was nothing left."

Imaginary or not, Sakura's story was chilling and the kunoichi found she didn't even have to pretend to act rattled. The thought of such a horrible fate to befall a village for the sake of some political belief naturally made her clench her fists in anger.

"Did any one else survive?" Miyabi asked, her voice just above a whisper.

"None that I ever found," Sakura said. "I wandered in a daze until I came here, running from bandits and other men who thought I could offer them a good time. When Dajaku found me taking shelter from the rain, he offered me a home here. I suppose I was foolish for finding my way into this dangerous town in the first place but I'm lucky Dajaku found me and not someone else."

Misaki had taken Sakura's hand in hers and squeezed it gently, her face full of compassion and concern and once again she felt like a rat for deceiving them.

"It's ironic that your good looks that got you into trouble will now save you isn't it?" Misaki said with a small smile.

"Yeah," Sakura said, the bitterness in her voice genuine. "But I guess I can't hope for anything better in this town."

"They don't call it the "Sinful Town" for nothing," the blonde agreed.

"We all hope to leave someday," Miyabi said softly, running her fingers through her long hair that Sakura noticed was in fact, a gorgeous, inky, blue black like a raven's wing. "Dajaku treats us well enough and this job gives us the opportunity to make more money that we could anywhere else in this city. Once I have enough saved, I'm going as far East as I can get. I've heard it's beautiful there."

Sakura wanted to nod, to tell them it was indeed a beautiful place, that Konoha would take any of them in without question and they didn't have to live this way. But of course, she couldn't.

Instead, she asked, "How did you guys end up here?"

Misaki shrugged, sending her curls bouncing with a tilt of her head.

"My parents died when I was little. I don't even remember them. I lived in an orphanage all my life but once I turned eighteen, they threw me out to make my own way in the world. I had no money and no direction so I ended up here. I guess you could say I was lucky too."

She finished her sentence with a smile, optimistic in spite of all her tribulations and Sakura realized that the baby faced blonde was a hell of a lot stronger than she had thought. It was the kunoichi's turn to give the hand in her own a comforting squeeze.

"I was sold," Miyabi said simply as if that explained it all, but when Sakura looked at her questioningly, she continued.

"I lived with my father and two older brothers. My mother died giving birth to me so I never knew her and I guess my older brothers always held that against me a little. My father was a merchant, traveling constantly and sending money back to us. One day, it wasn't money that came but a notice saying he had been killed by bandits and the huge dept he had accumulated was now our debt."

"So…your brothers…" Sakura gasped, in horror.

"Yes," Miyabi said, her features remaining placid despite the pain in her eyes. "They sold me without my consent to the next noble that passed through despite my protests and before I knew it, I was living in a castle in the middle of Rock Country."

Sakura couldn't believe the cruelty of Miyabi's own family and could only imagine the betrayal she must have felt to be treated as a bargaining chip.

"I might have actually been happy except that the noble's wife took an immediately dislike to me and tried to frame me for stealing one of her valuable rings. She was going to have me put to death so I ran, and when I stopped running, I was here in this town, and that's when Dajuku found me."

Sakura shook her head in amazement, hardly able to believe what these girls had been through. There had been so many times when she had complained about training and long, arduous missions but they were all nothing compared to the stories of her newfound companions. She had had it so good back in Konoha and the rough path she walked had been out of choice, not necessity. How could life be so unfair to rob these beautiful girls or everything they had known only to place them here in this sleazy little club? And even their haven was no longer safe with the recent disappearances of their fellow dancers. The thought made her blood boil and she silently vowed that she would find the culprit and make him pay.

"I guess fate had a hand in bringing all of us together," she said softly, releasing Misaki's hand and giving her a tiny smile.

"Yeah," the blonde said firmly. "And now that you're here, you are part of our family too. We'll look out for you Hana so don't worry!"

"If we don't watch out for each other, nobody else will," Miyabi added, her voice low and melodic even when talking about something so serious.

Sakura had always believed that phrase, relying on her team mates to watch her back as she did the same for them, but here, in this god-forsaken place, she realized that those words would probably never ring so true as they did now. While she was here to help and protect these women, she was new to the environment and mentality of taking off her clothes to make a living. Yes she would help these girls, but if she was going to get through this mission, she was going to need their help too.

XXXXX

Sakura had ended up talking with her new room mates longer than she had intended but she had learned a great many things in the process.

It seemed the girls, though they admitted he was stingy, thought Dajaku allowed them enough money to live comfortably enough, though not extravagantly. In exchange for providing them with housing, he demanded a large percentage of their tips which wouldn't have bothered Sakura if Misaki hadn't been wearing threadbare sweats while Dajaku sported high end clothing and all those rings. The business owner may have been keeping them off the streets, but he certainly wasn't eager to pamper them any, except for Tsurenai, but Sakura hadn't seen enough of her to draw any real conclusions about her yet besides the fact she was insecure and unreasonably hostile.

After their talk, Misaki and Miyabi had excused themselves to shower and begin getting ready for the night's show. The living arrangements reminded Sakura of a dormitory with bedroom doors opening out onto the main hallway. Each side had one bathroom with one shower and Sakura wondered how in the world six girls were going to live with two bathrooms and one water heater. She was prepared to face many cold showers, that much was for sure.

Sakura had remained in the room, unpacking her few meager belongings and settling in to her new home while replaying the day's events in her head. None of the other dancers had mentioned anything about their peers going missing but perhaps that was because they didn't want to scare her off. Her room mates had been so engaged in their conversations about their pasts that it was possible they simply hadn't gotten around to it. Sakura decided not to read too much into it just yet. Indeed, the only suspicious person in the bunch seemed to be Tsurenai and she was just plain frosty as opposed to maniacal so she didn't seem to be worth keeping an eye on either.

She wished Kakashi were here to give his input on the situation, but she had a feeling he would agree with her that this was most likely an outside job and that the dancers were going missing simply because the kidnapper liked beautiful women.

Kakashi…what was he doing this very moment?

She flopped down on her narrow bed and closed her eyes for a moment, envisioning his masked face. Even though he had forced her into some embarrassing situations, he was at least a familiar figure in all of this, and now that he was gone she felt totally isolated and a little lonely despite the warm welcome all five girls had given her. She missed his constant presence, even if he was silent beside her, engrossed in one of his books, and she wished he had told her where he would be if she had to get in contact with him, but knowing Kakashi, he would find a way to get to her if it was important enough and if it wasn't, there wouldn't be a trace of him to be found anywhere unless she found an orange jacketed book and dragged it behind her on a string as bait.

Her mind drifted back to the night before and how he had been touching her, what an erotic scene they had painted in the scratched and dirty mirror of their room. She wasn't exactly sure when she had stopped feeling like a fool and started feeling rather sexy or what he had done to her in the process to get her to move the way she had. She had never dreamed she would feel blatant desire for her silver haired sensei but she couldn't deny that the way he had been touching her body had made her all hot and tingly in all the right places…or perhaps they were all the wrong places.

As a young girl, she had been convinced that she would never be able to love anyone but Sasuke, and as she got older and came to know the details of more intimate acts, she had always dreamed that all those things would happen between her and Sasuke as well. Having her first encounter with lust while grinding against her teacher that happened to be a full fourteen years older than her had never been in the game plan, but it had happened and Sakura wasn't sure what to think. In fact, she probably shouldn't be thinking about it at all and just let it go.

But she couldn't. The image of their reflection and the feeling of his hands on her nearly naked body kept returning to her, how hot her skin had been and how good he had made her body feel. She tried to imagine doing the same thing with Sasuke but she just couldn't picture him grinding his pelvis against her rear as if he meant to penetrate her right through her clothes. But Kakashi…if he had been lacking those pants, and she her panties, she was willing to bet there were endless possibilities that lay ready for exploration and all of them ended with Sakura feeling good…very good.

Sakura shook her head and sat up abruptly, nearly smacking her head on the bunk above her. Why the hell was she thinking about Kakashi like that anyways? So he had introduced her to desire. So what? It was all for the sake of the mission. And just because she had wanted him at the time didn't mean that she wanted him constantly. She knew how human hormones affected behavior and that's all the moment had been, the awaking of the primal need to reproduce, spurred on by a man who seemed to know exactly how to push all the right buttons. Well she could forget about the whole thing because he would never have to push her buttons again.

Though there were no windows, Sakura guessed the show would be starting soon and so she wandered into the hallway that was eerily quiet. It appeared all the girls were downstairs.

She passed through the common room and opened the door that led down into the dressing room and was immediately assaulted by the smell of hairspray and the sounds of feminine giggles. It was much warmer in the room thanks to all the lighted makeup mirrors and body heat and as Sakura descended, she could see flashes of bare skin as the girls hustled about.

"Hana!" a familiar voice cried and a bouncy little figure in a silver sequin bra and G-string bounded up to meet her. The only reason Sakura was able to tell it was Misaki was the blonde curls, for she looked completely different under all the dark eye makeup and red lipstick.

"I'm glad you made it!" she smiled toothily. I was about to get you in case you had fallen asleep or something. You can watch the show from backstage. Here, I'll show you!"

The kunoichi didn't even have time to answer before she found herself being dragged through the chaos of sparkling costumes to the door that led out to the club.

"You can watch from the curtain here," Misaki said. "You won't be able to see the whole floor but you'll be able to see the three poles in front and we all rotate anyways."

Sakura had just nodded in understanding when the door flew open and Dajaku poked his head in, seemingly oblivious to the fact that this was a girl's dressing room.

"Two minutes ladies," he said, before disappearing again.

She could hear the low rumble of masculine voices and the clatter of glasses and plates. The club was no doubt much fuller than it had been this morning when she arrived with Kakashi, no doubt packed with drooling men who couldn't wait to see the group of women strip for them.

"Ready to watch the show honey?" Tora asked, walking up to her to give her a brief hug.

Sakura had wondered if she had always been so tall until she noticed the short haired brunette was wearing a pair of fire engine red heels that had to be at least four inches tall. The shoes matched her clothes…well, what there was of them anyways since the tiny triangle top and thong did little to cover her generous breasts and proportional hips.

"Yes," Sakura replied. "I'm a little new to all of this so I want to know how it's done."

"Don't worry, you'll pick it up quick," Kitsune replied, violet eyes gazing at her from beneath long, false lashes that made her look sultry and exotic.

The door opened again to reveal Dajaku's balding head.

"All right girls, you're on!"

All five dancers lined up single file and filtered out onto the floor, all walking gracefully despite the incredibly high heels they were all wearing. Their emerging onto the floor was greeted by a series of whoops and cat calls from the audience but none of them seemed embarrassed by it. In fact, they seemed to feed off the energy, giving sultry smiles or pouty lips in the direction of their admirers. Everyone passed out of her view except Miyabi and the quiet girl with the long brown hair. What had her name been? Jitsu? She could hardly tell it was the same girl, for the person here on stage was a far cry from the timid little mouse she had met upstairs. She wore a shirt that appeared to be a tube top with a zipper down the center, except the garment couldn't have been wider than an inch or two, just barely covering what it needed. Her thong had ties on the side and Sakura imaged that if just one of them came undone, the whole thing would be gone in a hurry, but perhaps that was the whole idea.

Sakura noted that Jitsu's breasts were hardly bigger than her own and that gave her a boost of confidence to know that she could still be sexy without a voluptuous figure, however, Sakura doubted she could mimic the captivating way she was moving, even with all the poise and agility of a kunoichi.

The girls took their poles with confidence, swinging their hips from side to side in time with the blaring music as they walked gracefully on tall heels that made their legs look impossibly long. Miyabi, who was already tall, looked like some sort of dark haired goddess, her long bangs falling into her eyes making her look mysterious and sexy.

Sakura was instantly captivated by how she moved…or rather flowed. She was like water, gliding seamlessly to the floor and writhing provocatively before somehow rising just as easily. When she climbed up the pole, she was awed, for although she had climbed a thousand trees, even without the use of chakra, she couldn't imagine doing it in such impractical shoes.

Both girls seemed so confident, tossing their hair and undulating against silver poles without any inhibitions. They looked so sexy, so graceful and composed yet somehow seductive and Sakura wondered if she could even look like that.

"Not performing tonight?" a voice behind her asked and Sakura jumped a little, cursing at herself for letting down her guard.

She turned to see Tsurenai looking absolutely stunning, her long wisteria colored hair free from its previous ponytail and falling in loose curls down her back. Her turquoise eyes were rimmed with dark kohl, making the sparkling orbs stand out even more and black bikini top and ruffled boy cut shorts left all her perfect curves exposed.

"No," Sakura answered turning back to the dancers on stage. "I thought I'd watch tonight and see how all this was done since I've never danced before."

"Ah," Tsurenai replied as she bent to fix the strap on her impossibly tall high heeled shoes. "Looking for tips then?"

"I guess you could say that," she replied.

Tsurenai straightened and Sakura caught her looking at Miyabi on stage who was currently upside down on her pole, falling in a controlled slide to the floor without the use of her hands, looking every bit as graceful as if she were on two feet. Sakura could see the diva's smoky eyes narrow and for a moment something that looked like jealousy or maybe anger flashed across her pretty features.

"Well here's a tip for you pinky," she said as the song playing finished and the audience applauded and whistled. Tsurenai brushed by her, shooting her a look over her bare shoulder.

"Just stay out of my way."

The smile she gave was cold, as were her eyes, and with a flip of her hair, she was walking out onto stage, greeted with deafening cat calls and cries. Miyabi and Jitsu had left their poles, leaving the whole platform to Tsurenai who seemed to thrive on the crude propositions being hollered at her. As the next song started, she began to move her hips in time with the slow, thumping beat.

While her movements were even more suggestive, the gyrating of her hips obviously simulating other acts, she lacked the poise and grace that Miyabi possessed and Sakura could understand why Misaki thought their room mate was the best dancer in the place. After seeing both women in action, she had to agree with the bouncy little blonde.

The first song finished and the second one started, one with a faster beat and Tsurenai shook her hips accordingly, tossing her head to send her purple curls flying before returning to cascade down her back. As she continued to swivel her hips, she hooked her fingers in the waistband of her little black shorts and tugged them down a little to expose even more of her body, all the while throwing seductive glances at the men in the front row.

The sex crazed brutes immediately began hollering for her to take them off and after much teasing and parading around, she did, sending them sliding down her legs to be kicked off stage in Sakura's general direction. She was now in a G-string that barely covered her womanhood, the scrap of black lace threatening to slip to the side and expose her at any second. Tsurenai hardly seemed to care, basking instead in the chorus of masculine shouts that accompanied the loss of her shorts.

She grabbed the pole with both hands and swung her body around on it, somehow bringing herself to the floor where she crawled on her hands and knees to the front of the stage to sit up on her knees with her legs spread, offering the front row a very good view of her barely covered crotch.

Sakura couldn't believe what she was seeing as the woman began to raise her hips up and down, grinding against the floor as if she meant to make love to it, and the way she was running her hands down her stomach and threading them through her hair, it certainly looked like she was.

Is this what Dajaku expected from her? There was no way in hell she would ever do that alone, let alone in front of a crowd of people. Tsurenai however seemed right at home as she flashed a sexy smile to a younger man in the front row who was staring at her completely captivated.

Her hand went to the crotch of her panties and although Sakura couldn't be sure from her position, she could have sworn she tugged them aside, just for a moment, offering her admirer a glimpse of her most intimate place, spread wide open thanks to her parted thighs. From the look on the man's face, Sakura was pretty sure Tsurenai had indeed flashed him and her eyes widened as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a fistful of bills.

Tsurenai bit her lip and crawled forward, turning to the side to offer him a view of a long creamy leg and on it, a little black garter in which he tucked several of the bills.

Sakura was too far away to see clearly, but she had a feeling that if those bills were the denomination she thought they were, she could have paid an entire months rent on her apartment back home with what the man had just given her.

Other men in the audience were waving bills, eager to get the show the man in front had just gotten. Tsurenai crawled around the edge of the stage like a predatory animal, allowing the men who could read her to shove money in her top, in the waistband of her G-string, anywhere they could reach. She stood up and adjusted the money in her top before returning to her pole, hooking a long leg around it and climbing it easily in spite of her high heeled shoes.

When she reached the top, her thighs tightened around the silver shaft, enabling her to hold on without the use of her hands. As the song came to a crescendo, so did the applause of the audience as the star pulled the strings holding the garment together and let them fall away, exposing her breasts in their entirety.

As her top dropped to the floor, so did Sakura's jaw. Nobody had ever said flat out that this club was topless, even though deep down she supposed she knew on some level, but seeing it here in front of her and knowing she would have to do the same thing this time tomorrow sent a wave of panic through her. How the hell was she supposed to get naked in front of a bunch of strangers and do it as if she wanted them to jump her bones any minute?

Even now, Tsurenai maintained her come-hither eyes as she slowly spiraled down her pole, letting her feet touch the ground effortlessly as she stood to resume the steady bump and grind of her hips, this time without her top.

The music ended and as Tsuranai came forward, the waving fists full of bills grew more frenzied as she made her way into the crowd, eagerly accepting the money being shoved in her face by men hoping to get a sneak peak under the G-string she was wearing.

Cheers erupted elsewhere as the music started again and Sakura assumed other girls were taking off their tops elsewhere in the club, a theory that was confirmed when Kitsune and Tora rotated to the front stage and began to gyrate against the poles, their tops joining Tsurenai's on the floor.

The red head swiveled around just in time to see a flash of Sakura's pink hair as she disappeared back into the depths of the dressing room and probably upstairs. The show had only just begun so she couldn't imagine why their newest dancer had left the wings. Perhaps she was tired after traveling all day, after all, she was sure her trip here had been quite eventful.

Kitsune dismissed Sakura's behavior and went back to focusing on the men in front of her, all looking at her with hungry eyes and offering raised fists clenching crinkled paper bills. With circle of her hips, she turned around and bent over, displaying her tight and toned ass to her adamant observers. When she snaked her torso back upwards she noticed a man who was following her every movement. He actually wasn't that bad looking in comparison to many of the ugly thugs here. She gave him a flirtatious wink over her shoulder before turning to circle her hips again in a wider stance. Chances are he would ask her for a lap dance after the current set of songs ended and if so, she would have no problem satisfying his every fantasy, as long as he had the money to pay her for her services.

XXXXX

Even with the covers pulled over her head, Sakura could hear the steady thrum of the monotonous beat echoing in her ears from the club below. She had tried to watch and gain information on how to properly dance from the more experienced girls but the panic of knowing she would have to expose herself to strangers overwhelmed her and she had fled, something she hadn't allowed herself to do in the face of battle for years.

She had thought she had been better prepared for this. She had thought that the embarrassing situations Kakashi had put her in would ease the shock of what she had to do, but smelling the cigarette smoke and the sweat, hearing the clinking of glasses and the murmuring voices and seeing real women perform on stage had driven home just what it would be like to get up there and strip and honestly, Sakura didn't think she had it in her.

Kakashi had said she had done well during their practices, but his hands had been touching her, guiding her, showing her inexperienced body what to do. Tomorrow she would be on her own and she was afraid that when dancing side by side with these girls, it would become very apparent that she didn't have a clue what she was doing.

Was that really the source of her fear? She was afraid of making a fool of herself? Was it the fear of exposing herself to strange men? Perhaps, but above all she was afraid she was going to mess up this mission beyond repair and come home a failure, just as Sasuke expected her to. He hadn't said that out loud but his incredulous look when she had told him the premise of the assignment had been enough. If she failed, it would give him one more reason to scorn her, to ignore her and she knew Tsunade would be disappointed as well, not to mention it would make Kakashi look bad too. There was so much pressure being piled on top of her that Sakura thought she might collapse under the weight of it.

And now, above it all, she had met the young women she had been sent to save and realized they were all wonderful people, forced into this unscrupulous job by horrific turns of events. She couldn't let anything else happen to them, not even Tsurenai after they had already gone through so much. She had to find the strength within herself to make this work. She just had to, although Sakura wasn't quite sure how she was going to do that yet.

She rolled over, nearly bumping her nose against the wall as she did and she actually found herself missing those beds at the inns she had been staying at. They weren't always clean, but at least they were bigger than this, big enough for her to lay in comfortably with Kakashi at her side, his steady breathing lulling her to sleep and his body heat seeping onto her side of the sheets to warm her bones. It seemed painfully lonely now without another body beside her, even though she had slept alone all her life.

For some odd reason, she wished he was here now to tell her that she would get through this fine, that she was a decent dancer and a skilled kunoichi, but from now on, nobody would be sleeping in her bed but herself.

She shut her eyes and willed herself to sleep in an attempt to escape the flurry of thoughts running through her mind, all of them screaming that she wasn't cut out for this mission and would never be able to complete it successfully. The thumping of the music's base continued long into the night and Sakura only succumbed to sleep when she imagined that it was Kakashi's heartbeat.

XXXXX

I hope this chapter's long length made up for the delay in getting it posted. There simply wasn't a good stopping point in this chapter. I had a little bit of difficulty writing this one and I really don't know how it came out so your comments would all be welcome. Thanks for reading!

J-Pop


	6. Chapter 6

Whew! I know it took a while to get this chapter out but it's here at last! Unfortunately, I don't know if I can write any quicker with school and all. Spring Break is still at least another 3 weeks away. I hope you all enjoy this chapter though and thanks all for all the reviews. You guys really are inspiring!

Naruto is not mine. This story contains mature content. Disclaimer, disclaimer blah blah blah.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare-Chapter 6

It was hard to tell what time it was inside the windowless room she now called home, but upon waking, Sakura guessed it was around seven thirty, her internal clock more accurate than most.

She could hear the even breathing both to her right and above and knew her roommates were still sound asleep. That didn't surprise her considering they had probably been dancing until late last night.

Sakura rolled over and quietly recalled just what she had seen the night before and knew time was ticking away before she would have to do the same thing. Her fellow dancers had made it look so easy to dance gracefully before a crowd while shedding clothing, and if she wanted to keep up with them, she would have to find a way to practice. Now was the perfect time while everyone was asleep and chances were she wouldn't have to worry about anyone watching her, especially Dajuku.

She silently climbed out of bed, figuring the ratty sweats she had borrowed from Misaki would work just fine for practicing, not to mention the room was freezing cold and Sakura wondered if the owner was so much of a cheapskate that he didn't even bother to heat the place.

She padded to the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair and wash her face and emerged again without seeing another soul. The common room was empty and so was the dressing room downstairs and when she entered the darkened space of the club's main room, she could see that it too was vacant.

The room still smelled smoky and slightly of sweat and alcohol, but all evidence of last night's festivities had been disposed of, spilled alcohol mopped up, cigarette ashes wiped away and now it was just as Sakura had first seen it yesterday, empty and quiet with just one light over the main stage by the wings pushing the shadows away another couple of feet.

Tentatively, she walked onto the raised platform, not making a sound in her bare feet and let her fingers brush against the cool metal of the center pole. From up here, the club looked even smaller, but she knew that when gazing over the sea of scruffy faces that would probably be watching her eagerly, the same space would seem immense.

She began to walk slowly around the pole, letting one hand grip it firmly and pulled away a little, giving and taking body weight against the tall rod as she got a feel for being on stage. She recalled how the girls had climbed the pole the night before, wrapping their bodies around it gracefully before spiraling back to the floor. While it seemed easy enough, Sakura figured it didn't hurt to give it a try before she had an audience.

Facing the pole and grasping it with both hands, Sakura effortless hoisted herself up and climbed until she was near the ceiling a good ten feet in the air. Clenching her thighs tightly around the pole, she let go with her hands and arched backwards in what she hoped was a sexy and graceful pose like what she had seen the night before. While she had no idea what she looked like, she found that her muscles only had to work minimally after all the rigorous training she had endured.

She was able to arch back so far that her hands once again found the pole and after a little fumbling, she was able to grab it in a way that allowed her to support her weight and release her legs to circle around to wrap around the bar again before sliding easily back down to the ground.

Well, if that's all there was to it, then there was no need to be nervous. She had this whole pole dancing thing down thanks to well developed muscular control and strength.

Her confidence boosted, she tried again, walking around the pole like she had seen the others do to gain a little momentum to lift herself off the ground. The pull she gave herself with her arms produced more spin than she expected and she nearly spun herself right off the pole with the amount of centrifugal force she produced before gripping desperately and bringing herself to a halt.

'Note to self, keep strength in check,' she thought, grateful she hadn't dented the pole in her enthusiasm.

She tried again, this time with less force and succeeded in completing one rotation around the pole before her feet touched the ground again. She only hesitated slightly between her landing and her next step, unable to make the transition flawless like the other girls had but not bad for a beginner.

She circled the pole again before hiking her knee to wrap around the pole while flipping her body to point face down, her legs pointing straight to the ceiling. It may have been a suspiciously fancy move to attempt when she was supposed to be a simple farm girl but Sakura was curious to test her limits and she found that manipulating her body around the metal pole was actually fairly easy and she was interested to see what tricks she could perform.

She shook her head to clear the pink stands of hair that had fallen into her eyes and recalled the graceful spiral she had seen many of the dancers use to descend to the floor; both while upside down and right side up.

Carefully, she bent her legs to let the pole rest snugly behind the backs of her knees and released her grip, wondering if she could slide in a corkscrew down without her hands. She loosened her clenching thighs slightly so she would be able to slide but was surprise to find herself suddenly plummeting to the floor in a free fall, her sweats diminishing all friction against the pole. With a panicked burst of chakra, she was able to regain her grip with her legs centimeters before her face hit the ground and she exhaled in relief, grateful she hadn't smashed her nose on the stage's surface.

"That's an impressive trick honey," a voice said from the wings to her left and Sakura nearly fell off the pole as she started, amazed that someone had managed to slip into the room without her detection.

She caught herself with one hand right before she crumpled to the floor, ensuring her landing was at least painless, though not exactly the most graceful of sights to behold. She looked up to find Tora standing with an amused smirk on her lips, her short, wild hair mused as if she had just rolled out of bed. The oversized T-shirt that came down to her knees only supported her theory.

"G-good morning," Sakura stuttered. "I was just…"

"Just practicing your moves?" Tora asked, her midnight blue eyes sharing the same amused expression as her mouth. "I must say, you have some impressive ones honey, but you should know better than to practice in pants. You'll slip right off the pole and hurt yourself."

"Well actually," the kunoichi admitted sheepishly as she picked herself up off the floor. This is my first time dancing. I've never even seen one of these things before."

She rapped her knuckles lightly on the bar's metallic surface to emphasize her point and Tora raised a thin black eyebrow.

She titled her head to the side and looked at her thoughtfully before confirming the kunoichi's name.

"Hana, right?"

Sakura nodded.

"You've never danced on a pole? You seemed comfortable with flipping your whole body upside down. That usually takes weeks to learn," she complimented.

The taller woman emerged from the wings and onto the stage and Sakura began to panic a little while trying to keep a calm exterior. Just how long had she been watching? She had slipped up and used chakra to keep herself from getting hurt and chances were the average person wouldn't detect it, but what if Tora wasn't a normal person? She had no idea what her background was and she couldn't afford to take any chances on this mission.

"I guess I'm just a natural," Sakura giggled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "How long were you watching me anyways?"

"Long enough to watch you almost break your face on the floor," Tora responded with a wry smile. "I guess I can believe you've never pole danced before. You're strength and balance may be great but your technique is all wrong. You're going to have to be a bit more graceful than that if you want to score decent tips."

Sakura sighed dejectedly. She should have known it wouldn't be so simple to pick up on a style of dance she knew nothing about.

"Hey, don't look so down," Tora smiled kindly. "You just need a little practice. You're already pretty good but a few pointers would really help."

Sakura watched as Tora walked over to an adjacent pole and easily climbed it, seeming unconcerned that her T-shirt had ridden up to show her blue and white striped panties.

"It doesn't matter how advanced the moves you're doing are," Tora said as she griped the pole with both hands and began to descend in the slow, elegant spiral Sakura had been trying to accomplish. One leg was bent and the other straight in a pose that could have been a graceful jump in a ballet. "If you can't make you're moves look flawless, people are going to think you're an amateur. Always opt for a simpler, but cleaner move if others are too advanced."

Sakura nodded thoughtfully as Tora's feet gently touched the floor and she moved seamlessly into the next step.

"Although," she continued with a dry chuckle. "With the crowds we get, you could hang upside down like a monkey and they'd still throw money at you if you showed them a little crotch."

The kunoichi reddened at the memory or Tsurenai grinding on stage, her skimpy little thong pulled to the side to reveal herself to anyone who cared to look.

"Yeah, I guess Tsurenai uses that technique a lot doesn't she?" Sakura said, dreading having to do the same thing.

Tora scoffed at the mention of the club's star dancer.

"That girl is shameless honey," she said with a shake of her head. "I have a feeling the only reason she does it is to get the eyes off of anyone else while she's on stage because she knows none of us are willing to give that kind of show."

So it wasn't required to give everyone in the room a good look at her genitals. Sakura exhaled a sigh of relief as Tora stepped away from the pole and wandered down the steps to weave between the tables towards the bar.

"I was a little worried I would have to dance the way she did," Sakura confessed. "I didn't think I could do it."

Tora waved a dismissive hand as she let herself through behind the counter and plucked a clean glass from one of the cabinets under the sink.

"She's the only one of us who actually strips down to nothing," she said, observing the numerous bottles in front of her. "I guess it's an arrangement she made with Dajaku before he started advertising her as the star. The rest of us go topless but she's the only one willing to spread for a guy outside of a private room. I'll do it during a lap dance, sure but you had better believe the men are paying good money for it."

Sakura shuddered at the thought of giving a stranger a glimpse of herself. Whether he paid well or not, Sakura didn't think she would ever get used to that idea. However, if that was the only way to gain information, she would have to let go of the last shred of modesty she had left.

The tinkling of glass against glass brought her back to reality and she noticed Tora had selected a brown bottle and was pouring a healthy amount of its contents into the glass.

"Isn't it a little early for a drink?" Sakura asked as she watched the other woman replace the cap.

Tora gave a humorless laugh and shrugged her shoulders.

"It's never too early in this line of work honey. I'd gladly take a drink any time if it helps blur things a little bit. It's easier to look at myself in the mirror if I can't quite see who I am."

Though her words may have been a little cryptic, Sakura understood what she meant. In this place, most people considered her an object. Dajaku looked at her as a money making tool and the men in the club only threw bills at her with the hope that she'd show them a good time. As long as she was here, her freedom was limited. She couldn't say no and she couldn't walk away because like everyone else here, she had nowhere else to go.

"How did you end up here?" Sakura asked, genuinely curious as Tora tossed back the generous shot in her glass in one gulp, grimacing as it burned.

"I guess you could say one thing led to another," she replied as she held up the bottle in a silent offer to Sakura. The kunoichi shook her head and Tora poured another round just for herself.

"I was actually the daughter of a wealthy feudal lord in Earth Country," she said as she walked back out among the tables and took a seat closest to the stage. "But we lived on the outskirts so you can image it wasn't the most secure place to be."

Sakura nodded, knowing the conflicts arising in Grass and Rain territories could spill into neighboring areas and even Suna had experienced a few problems from time to time with neighboring conflicts getting out of hand. Property on the border of rouge territory was undoubtedly cheaper, but Sakura didn't think it made up for the dangers that came with living there.

"Everything was fine until my father hired a certain man to look after his affairs. Honestly, I never even knew his name but I knew from the start there was something off about him. He planned an uprising with the other people working for my father and attacked us in the middle of the night. My father was the first to die and then my mother after all the men had raped her repeatedly. I was thirteen at the time but I guess that wasn't too young for them because they had me next. I didn't even know what sex was then but honey, you can bet I found out pretty quick."

Sakura could only listen in quiet horror as Tora spoke from her chair, staring at the amber liquid swirling in the etched glass.

"I don't know why they let me go. To this day, I have no idea," she continued after taking another swig. "I'm not even sure whether or not I'm grateful for it because after I was out of my home, you can imagine things only got harder. When I was on the verge of starving I found a brothel to work at for a while and did pretty well. I was the youngest one there and there were plenty of sickos only too happy to pay the fee for a night with me."

Sakura shuddered at the thought of have a strange man touch her so intimately just to keep herself off the streets. The life of a kunoichi had put her in many dangerous situations where she faced men that who would have happily taken her innocence if they had managed to overpower her. Fortunately for Sakura, she had yet to meet a goon with such intentions who was able to match her inhuman strength.

"I worked at the brothel for as long as I could stand," Tora said, running a hand through short, spiky locks. "But after a couple years, it seemed that even starving on the streets was better than subjecting myself to such disgusting men every night. They were often rough and harsh, using me brutally for their own pleasure and some times I was rubbed raw by the time morning came. Since I had no debt to pay off, I had no obligation to stay so I finally left to resume wandering. It was at a bar just down the way from here that I first met Tsurenai and she told me about this place and offered to get me an audition."

"Really? Tsurenai helped you get a job here?" Sakura asked, surprised that the woman who seemed to hate competition so much would invite possible dancers to the club.

Tora nodded, tossing back the last of the scalding liquid in her glass.

"Well, she can't keep the whole club running by herself honey. If she recruits other girls, it is better for business and for Dajaku, and the more indispensable she is to him, the better he will treat her. Besides, I doubt she saw me as any sort of competition at the time. I was half starved and dirty when she found me. These perked up only after I started dancing and eating regular meals," she said, gesturing to the generous swell of her chest that was visible even through her baggy sleep wear.

Sakura looked down at her own modest breasts that wouldn't even be impressive when fully exposed. She had been well fed all her life and yet her womanly assets had never developed beyond a mere handful.

"But enough about me," Tora sighed with a dismissive wave of her hand. "The point is that you have to dance on stage tonight and have some practicing to do before that. Are you wearing anything under those, honey?" she asked, pointing at her raggedy sweatpants.

Sakura nodded. Yes she was wearing something under them but all she had were a bikini cut pair of black panties and she was a little loathe to expose herself. Not only was the room freezing but the thought of Dajaku walking in and seeing her in them made her apprehensive. However, reason kicked in and she knew she would be performing in something even more revealing so it hardly mattered to show a little skin.

With a deep breath, she hooked her thumbs in her waistband and yanked the garment down over her thighs and kicked it away.

"Damn…" Tora whistled as her eyes traveled over Sakura's bare legs. "Just what the heck were you up to before you came here honey? Those are some of the most defined and muscular legs I have ever seen."

'Crap!' Sakura's mind panicked as she tried to keep her cool. She should have known the peak state of her body would arouse suspicion. She was in far too good physical condition to be a simple farm girl like she claimed.

"Well, I was a farmer but there was also a dojo that a lot of the neighborhood kids would take lessons at. I started when I was small and never really quit," Sakura lied, hoping her bullshit story would be bought.

"Well sign me up honey," Tora laughed. "I would kill for legs like yours!"

The pink haired woman was relieved that, at least for now, she was off the hook, but for some reason, Tora's word choice made her feel a little uneasy.

"Alright," Tora said, standing from her chair and making her way to the stage, perfectly sober despite the strong alcohol she had just drunk. "Now how about I show you a trick or two about dancing on the pole?"

XXXXX

The next hour Sakura spent under the taller dancer's tutelage and she quickly picked up on what she was trying to tell her, altering her movements to make them more graceful and flow together better rather than awkwardly transitioning from one position to the next.

Tora seemed impressed with her progress, but not suspicious and praised her with a warm smile and encouragements as she coached the newest dancer along. If Sakura had ever had a big sister, she imagined that maybe this was how it would feel.

When Sakura had finally gained a little more confidence and skill, Tora showed her around the room, explaining their patterns of rotation from stage to stage during a show and where the stairs to all the platforms were located. By that time, the sound of running water could be heard above them and Sakura figured some of the other girls and possibly the owner were probably awake and showering.

"Hmm, I better get rid of this before he catches me again," Tora mused, nodding towards her empty glass.

She walked back down the stairs and picked it up on her way back to the bar where she washed it out and placed back inside the cabinet.

Sakura was pulling her sweats back on and Tora just returning back to the stage when they heard the door leading upstairs open and shut and then heavy foot falls on the stairs. A moment later Dajaku emerged from the wings in a pristine long sleeved shirt depicting a blue paisley pattern he probably thought was fashionable. His hair was neatly combed over as it had been yesterday but it still did little to hide his growing bald spot. Sakura personally thought he should just accept his lack of hair and be done with it, perhaps even shave his head. Being bald intentionally seemed much more dignified than fighting the losing battle of hair recession tooth and nail.

"Good morning," he said, nodding to the two ladies. Turning to Tora he added, "You're certainly up early."

"I couldn't sleep," she replied as she stretched her arms over her head with a yawn.

Sakura noticed she had yet to put her pants back on but didn't seem at all uncomfortable with wearing just her T-Shirt and panties in Dajaku's presence. The kunoichi noticed his eyes flick to the exposed flesh of her legs and stay there a little longer than necessary before moving back to her face.

"You haven't been drinking my liquor again have you? You know it's for paying customers only."

Tora rolled her eyes as she lied easily.

"Don't worry Dajaku. I haven't been drinking your precious booze."

The club owner frowned at her flippant response.

"Alcohol is expensive Tora. If I find out you've been drinking it, I'll buy the next bottle with your tips."

The dark haired girl sighed, seeming totally unconcerned with her employer's threat.

"Yes, yes. Whatever you say honey."

She began walking back towards the dressing room without another word to Dajaku but called over her shoulder, "See you upstairs Hana."

Sakura was about to follow her when the cub owner stopped her.

"I'd like to see you in my office a moment."

Sakura nodded, wondering what could have already gone wrong as she wordlessly followed him to the back corner of the large room.

He flicked on the light as the entered the small space ad walked behind his desk as Sakura patiently stood, remembering with a slight smile how Kakashi had put him in his place yesterday.

"I understand that you probably don't have suitable attire for tonight," Dajaku said.

Suitable? The kind of outfits the girls had worn last night were hardly suitable for anything. Instead of speaking her opinions, she held her tongue and simply shook her head.

"I see," he said and opened one of his desk drawers to withdraw something so small, he could hide it in his large fist.

"Wear these for now. Next time the girls go shopping, be sure to go with them and pick up some more sets."

Sakura warily held out her hand and he deposited the minuscule amount of fabric in her palm. Not only was she surprised and dismayed to see that she was holding both the top and bottom of her so called work uniform, but Dajaku had added insult to injury by assigning her a garment that was shockingly pink. Just because she was born with pink hair didn't mean she liked wearing the color.

"Unfortunately, I don't have shoes for you at the moment. However, I suspect several of the girls here share your shoe size and you can borrow a pair from them."

"Fantastic," Sakura replied, her voice devoid of all enthusiasm.

"In fact," he continued. "If you go grab a pair now, you can show me some of the moves you have planned for tonight and I can give you some pointers,"

Dajaku smiled at her and while she supposed he was trying to come off as friendly, he also appeared to be just a little too eager to see her in the outfit she had picked out.

"No," Sakura said coolly as she turned on her heel and made her way to the door.

Apparently that was not the answer the owner of "Wet Dreams" had been expecting, for he frowned and said to her back, "Well if I can't give you an audition, at least let me have a sneak peak of your dancing. Although this club is not famous, I do have a reputation to keep up here. If you would just let me—"

Sakura marched back to the desk glowing fiercely and bent over until she was practically eye level, making the surprised businessman shrink away from her rage.

"I understand that exploitation is a necessary part of this mission but I will only do what is required to find the culprit and that does not involve giving you a free show. If you have a problem with that, I'd be more than happy to return these and head straight back to Konoha."

She dangled the outfit he had given her in his face and he looked at her through wide, silvery gray eyes, apparently quite surprised she had such a tempter and fortunately smart enough to realize that this was a battle he wasn't going to win.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled, smoothing his comb over as if her outburst had mussed it.

"I'm glad we have an understanding," Sakura said, her tone icy as she backed off and moved back towards the door.

"Oh, one more thing," she said over her shoulder to the man who was currently massaging his temples, causing him to look at her warily. "Is there anyone in particular you want me to keep an eye on tonight? A regular customer perhaps or someone you find suspicious?"

Dajaku was thoughtful a moment before shaking his head.

"No, the majority of the folks who come here are all pretty suspicious," he said with a shrug.

Sakura sighed and prepared to leave once more when Dajaku held out a piece of paper to her.

"Here. Your partner dropped this off at the club last night but I guess you had already gone to bed."

Sakura unfolded the sheet of paper that was neatly folded into quarters to find an address scribbled in Kakashi's sloppy handwriting. Underneath was an equally messy message reading,

Come by before your performance. We have some things to discuss.

The note was completely ambiguous. It wasn't even signed and if Sakura hadn't recognized her former sensei's chicken scratch, she might not have known who it was from.

She refolded the paper and tucked it into the pocket of her sweats and looked up to find Dajaku watching her. His face lacked any trace of inquisitiveness and she figured he had probably already read the message whether it was meant for him or not. Perhaps that was why Kakashi had been so vague. They had no way of knowing whose eyes might see the note and so he had been discreet, telling her only the basic details.

With a curt nod, Sakura left the office, although the last thing she had planned was to go search for heels in her size like Dajaku had suggested.

XXXXX

Sakura returned to her room to place her newly acquired garments on her bed. She was surprised to find that neither Misaki nor Miyabi were currently in the room but upon entering the hallway, she could hear what sounded like Misaki's voice coming from the last room on the right.

The hallway had six doors in total: two bedroom doors on either side with small bathrooms in between. She had assumed that all the bedrooms looked similar to her own but upon knocking and having Kitsune open the door, she discovered that the last room had been converted into a kitchen.

"Good morning Hana," the redhead said with a smile before gesturing for her to come inside, "Hungry?"

The kunoichi hadn't noticed her hunger before but the pleasant aroma that filled the room instantly reminded her that she hadn't eaten anything since arriving here.

"Hana-chan!" a familiar voice cried enthusiastically and Sakura turned to find Misaki patting an empty space next to her one the bench where she sat. "Sit next to me!"

She complied and took a seat at what looked like a shabby picnic table, the rough wood worn smooth by constant use. Threadbare cushions had been placed over the abrasive seats, making them more comfortable but they had lost their padding long ago. It appeared Dajaku was to cheap to even buy them a decent dining table and Sakura wished she had clocked him earlier when he had requested a look at her body a second time. It was usually considered bad form to punch a client, but Sakura was sure that under the given circumstances, Kakashi probably wouldn't have scolded her too harshly for it.

She looked over to find Tora cooking what looked to be eggs over the small stove while Jitsu poured orange juice from a carton for everyone before replacing what little was left in the small fridge in the corner. There was a table pushed back against the wall that served as a makeshift countertop, even if the level was a little low to work at comfortably, and next to that, a small sink. An old wardrobe had been turned into a pantry and Miyabi was pulling out several boxes of cereal. Another rickety table against the adjacent wall was a clutter of pots, pans, clean dishes and a canister full of various cooking utensils. Sakura guessed that since they lacked another cabinet, this was where they stored all of their cookware. It honestly didn't take up much space because it looked that there were just enough dishes to go around with maybe one or two to spare.

"So did you sleep good?" the blonde girl asked enthusiastically as Sakura sat down.

"Miyabi dear, the proper way to ask is did she sleep well," Kitsune corrected as she took a seat across from Sakura.

"Whatever," she waved dismissively, her big blue eyes trained on their newest member.

"I slept fine, thank you," Sakura smiled.

"That's good to hear," Miyabi said quietly, bringing over the cereal boxes and six mismatched bowls. "Sometimes Misaki can snore pretty loud so I'm glad she didn't disturb you."

"Hey! I do not!" the blonde whined and the rest of the girls erupted into subdued giggles, Sakura included.

"Ok, eggs are ready," Tora announced as Jitsu passed out plates. The kunoichi noted that while the pile of eggs she had cooked certainly looked impressive, after moderate portions had been divided up among everyone, there was nothing left. Feeding six girls was bound to be expensive and she wondered if Dajaku provided for them or if he left them to fend for themselves.

The meal was nothing extravagant, but what it lacked in food variety was made up in warm atmosphere. Although she had only been here a day, she already felt like she was a part of this family, just another girl brought together by unfortunate fate. With so many people at one table chatting happily, she felt like she was at a holiday gathering, but it seemed that these sort of thing happened every day for them. That fact made it all the more terrible that other dancers of the club who had sat here and no doubt been important to their group, had turned up missing.

The simple meal of scrambled eggs and cereal was accompanied by noisy chatter and Sakura found herself happily taking part. Most questions were directed at her since she was the newest member after all and it seemed the other dancers were eager to know more about her. When asked about how she managed to stay so fit and toned she reused the story of taking classes at her village's dojo. Everyone seemed to accept it as easily as Tora had and Sakura couldn't help but notice that despite the large amount of alcohol the short haired woman had already consumed so early in the morning, she seemed perfectly sober. If she drank like that often, chances were her alcohol tolerance was much greater than the kunoichi's own capacity for booze.

The various shifting conversations were so engaging that they continued to talk long after their meals were finished, but as the conversation finally began to wind down, Sakura noticed that an awkward hush befell the girls one by one. Some looked down at their laps or empty plates while others stole sideways glances at her. The tension in the air grew thick and it became quite obvious that something was amiss.

"Hana-chan," Misaki said quietly as she twisted her fingers together nervously. "There's something we need to tell you."

Four other heads nodded somberly and the petite blonde looked to Kitsune, silently asking her to fill in the words she apparently didn't want to say.

The redhead picked up on her plea immediately and trained her violet eyes on Sakura, her pretty face grim.

"What she means is that that this place is even more dangerous than it seems Hana. There have been three separate instances where girls working here have suddenly vanished without a trace."

Sakura wasn't sure how she should react. Should she pretend she was surprised or play it cool? If she couldn't pull of a convincing act, she could possibly give herself away so in the end, she decided to at least tell half of the truth.

"Yeah, I know," she said quietly looking down at the hands that were currently folded in her lap. "Dajaku told me yesterday. He told me to be careful, even when working at the club and to never go out into the city alone."

"Really? He actually told you?" Tora asked with poorly concealed shock. "I would have thought he would try and hide it. He'll have a tough time getting more girls to come work for him if he tells them there's the possibility they could be abducted."

"Well, it's not like I had anywhere else to go," Sakura said in a tone she hoped sounded dejected. "I think he told me only after he knew I wasn't going to run away."

"That sounds like Dajaku all right," Kitsune said with a roll of her eyes. "He's a master at doing whatever will benefit him the most."

Sakura nodded. Apparently their employer's shrewd way of conducting business was well known among the dancers, although it would be incredibly hard to miss this particular trait considering how obvious it was that he was a cheapskate.

"Weren't you scared when he told you?" Misaki asked, tugging on Sakura's shirtsleeve.

"This town is bad enough without people kidnapping us but now I'm afraid to even leave the club!"

"Well, I can't say I'm relaxed about it," the kunoichi confessed. "But that just means we have to look out for each other right? If we go anywhere, we should go in groups, although I'm sure you guys have been doing that anyways right?"

"Always," Tora confirmed while the rest of the girls nodded in unison.

"Then I guess there's not much else we can do. We just have to be on the look out for anyone suspicious. None of us want to be the fourth victim so stay alert."

Her words weren't the most reassuring but what could she say? Tell them that she was a kunoichi intent on catching the culprit and disemboweling him on the spot? She couldn't blow her cover so she would have to pretend that she was just as frail as they were. However, her superior strength made her feel like she had an even greater responsibility to protect these girls who were obviously weaker than herself.

"I'm glad you decide to stay, even if this place isn't the safest," the brown haired girl spoke up, surprising Sakura a little considering she hardly spoke at all.

The kunoichi smiled at Jitsu from across the table and said, "Yeah, so am I."

XXXXX

After helping Miyabi out with the dishes, the two of them went back to their room and found Misaki already there, laying on her top bunk with a book in her hands. Unlike the book the raven haired girl had been reading earlier with fine print and no pictures, it seemed that Misaki preferred sappy romance novels complete with illustrations. Judging by the cover, Sakura guessed it wasn't quite as graphic as Icha Icha. The thought made her wonder just what her partner was up to and she decided that as soon as she was able to get away, she would pay him a visit at his motel room like he had requested.

At the sound of the door shutting, the blonde looked up from her book and gave them a sunny smile. Sakura grinned back but as her eyes moved to see the pink garments she had previously tossed on her bed, her face fell.

"Hey, what's the matter Hana-chan?" Misaki asked with genuine concern.

Miyabi followed her gaze and walked over to her bed, picking up the skimpy lingerie.

"Dajaku?" she asked simply and Sakura nodded miserably.

"Aw, they're cute! The color is perfect for you!" the girl on the top bunk said when she peeked over the side. "You'll be a big hit tonight."

"I'm not so sure," Sakura said with a sigh as she sat on her bed, resting her crossed forearms on her knees.

"Why, what's the matter?" the taller woman asked gently, setting the underwear aside as she sat down next to her.

Misaki, who knew something serious was going on, abandoned her book and climbed down the rickety wooden ladder so she could be a part of the conversation as well.

Sakura looked at the expectant eyes trained on her and swallowed hard. How open could she be about this without giving herself away as an imposter?

"Well, it's just that I've never worn anything like that before," she said, gesturing to the G-string and minuscule triangle top. "And I've never danced for men and I've certainly never danced topless for them. I'm just really nervous and I'm afraid I'll ruin everything."

Miyabi smiled softly and put a comforting hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"You won't ruin anything Hana. You made it through the audition with Dajaku didn't you?"

The kunoichi had to keep herself from wincing at her words. Everyone thought she had already been approved of by the boss but the reality was quite different. However, she couldn't tell them the truth without arousing suspicion.

"Yeah, I guess, but its different dancing for only one person and them dancing for a huge crowd," Sakura pouted.

"That's true I suppose," Miyabi said thoughtfully. "But in all honesty, if you have the confidence, you can make it through."

"That's what I'm afraid of," the kunoichi muttered. It wasn't that she thought she was ugly or anything but she would be so exposed with every flaw visible and then she had the added pressure of completing a mission on her shoulders.

Misaki easily picked up on Sakura's distress and eyed her critically.

"So which part are you nervous about, the men looking at you or the aspect of performing?"

"Both…everything!" she groaned, burying her face in her hands.

The two dancers exchanged looks before the blonde gently grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulled her to her feet.

"Hana, do you consider yourself pretty?" she asked and Sakura looked at her with a confused expression.

"Um…yeah, I guess."

"Wrong answer," Misaki replied, pulling her along until she was standing in front of the full length mirror in the corner.

Sakura suddenly found herself gazing at her own reflection with her roommates standing behind her.

"When you are dancing, you have to believe that you are the most beautiful girl that ever lived," Misaki said. "You have to think you're gorgeous and sexy and that will show in the way you carry yourself."

Well, that certainly sounded familiar. The girls were just reaffirming what Kakashi had already told her. However, that didn't mean it was any easier for her to do.

Miyabi saw the doubt in Sakura's features as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was hard to adopt that kind of thinking, especially if one has been modest her whole life, but if she didn't get some confidence, she would never make through her first night on stage.

"You also need to look like you enjoy what you do. It's fine to fake it but if you honestly like dancing, it's even better," she said.

"Yeah, sometimes it's easy to just get lost in the music," Misaki added. "Maybe that will make it easier if you concentrate on other things besides the men watching you, at least at first."

Unfortunately, the whole point of Sakura being here was to keep an eye on the men in the club, but at this point she was willing to try anything to get her nerves to settle and so she nodded.

"Before we even introduce an audience into the picture, you have to be comfortable with you," Miyabi said, placing her hand on Sakura's shoulder and gently turning her away from the mirror. "Just dance without worrying what it looks like or what people think of you."

The kunoichi glanced from the brunette to the blonde and back, her face blank.

"What…now?"

"Why not?" Misaki grinned, her face dimpling making her look even more cherubic. "Come on, we'll dance with you."

Both girls began swaying graceful, their movements less suggestive than when she had seen them out on stage. They seemed completely unconcerned with the lack of music but Sakura found she had a hard time getting into the groove. She felt awkward and ungainly, much like how she had before Kakashi had worked his magic and had her writhing against him like he was her pole and she the experienced stripper.

Miyabi picked up on her self consciousness right away, sensing her need for an underlying beat and began to sing softly, her voice sweet and melodic as she continued to move.

Sakura had never heard the song but she had no problem falling into its rhythm, her movements becoming a little less disjointed as she moved with the other girls in their small bedroom.

Misaki joined in, her voice not quite as smooth as the taller woman's but pretty in its own way. They were dancing more boldly now, tossing their hair as they moved fluidly. Their inhibition seemed to be contagious, for soon Sakura forgot all about the mirror behind her and stopped worrying about how her movements looked, and more about how they felt. Although her music was nothing more than the soft voices of the two women in the room, she was able to truly be inside of it and let it take over. There was no thrumming, hypnotic base but she seemed fine without it, focused more on the simple joy of moving her own body as the girls next to her experienced the same thing.

No judgments were being made as she swiveled her hips and she found that to be exhilarating. The feeling was a little like when she used to get up early and take morning runs around the Konoha training grounds before the sun had come up. Many times, she wouldn't see a soul, the village still asleep and as the wind whooshed past her ears and filled her lungs, she felt at peace with the world, a part of it, more attuned to the forces of nature that surrounded her. While this feeling wasn't quite the same, it was similar. Dancing gave her a sort of strange freedom she had never experienced before, and while she was by no means a professional, she still was able to feel the joy in it, swinging her hips and abandoning all the other troubles that had plagued her since she had come here.

Her eyes caught Misaki's orbs of crystal blue and they exchanged smiles. Here, in this moment Sakura was comfortable with herself and her body and she was truly enjoying dancing. The blonde moved closer, facing her and resting her forearms lightly on Sakura's shoulders, their swiveling hips now moving in unison.

"If you dance like this tonight, you'll do just fine," she whispered, breaking out of song for just a moment. "You don't have to consciously act sexy to be sexy. I think the men will like you just as you are."

Sakura had the strong urge to look over her shoulder into the mirror to see just what Misaki was seeing but resisted, not wanting to ruin the moment or become self conscious again. Instead, she continued to dance until Miyabi's voice died away and they were left silent and a little breathless.

That hadn't been like Kakashi's crash course in eroticism but she felt it was equally valuable. It was another side to the world she was about to enter, the purer side of dancing, to move for the sheer bliss of it, not to attract men's lecherous eyes, although she knew she would have to figure out how to balance both components by tonight.

"Feel better?" Misaki asked cheerfully, pulling away from the pink haired woman.

"Yeah, actually I do," Sakura answered, her voice slightly awed as if she couldn't believe something so simple had given her so much courage. "Thank you for that. I think it really helped."

The blonde giggled and Miyabi tipped her head gracefully in the kunoichi's direction.

"If there's anything else you need, just let us know. We have to help each other around here or we would never make it through."

"Well," Sakura said thoughtfully, rocking back on her heels. "There is one thing. What size shoe do you girls wear?"

XXXXX

Sakura hurried along the dreary streets. It was the middle of the day but it was still cloudy and gray, the drizzle in the air threatening to frizz her hair out beyond repair if it penetrated the hood of her cloak. It would have been much faster to reach Kakashi's motel if she jumped from roof to roof but she had to maintain her disguise and made the best of it, scurrying quickly hoping that nobody she ran into gave her hard time.

Dajaku had be skeptical about her going alone but she obviously couldn't have any of the other girls go with her and Sakura was not about to let Dajaku listen in on whatever she and Kakashi were going to be discussing. However, it would cause a fuss if she left the club by herself, especially in light of recent events. If the other dancers found out she had entered the city alone, they probably wouldn't let her out of their sight ever again.

Finally, the club owner and herself had agreed that Dajaku would run some errands at the same time she was gone, and simply tell the girls Sakura had wanted to come so she could get a tour of the town. It still seemed a little odd to Sakura but Dajaku assured her it would be fine and simply reminded her to be back in time to get ready for the show.

Kakashi's note was still tucked away in the pocket of her sweat pants but she had already memorized the address. She hadn't even bothered to change because it wasn't like she really had clothes to change into. Next time she went out, she would have to make sure to pick up a few clothes besides the performance wear Dajaku had suggested. Kakashi's apartment wasn't very far at all and within minutes she was in front of a four story building with peeling plaster and dull paint. A rusty wrought iron security door covered the entrance, discouraging anybody without business there to keep moving but it was only a few moments before her partner appeared on the other side, thick scarf in place over the lower portion of his face. Sakura didn't even bother asking how Kakashi knew she had arrived. She had been around him long enough to know that his intuition was almost frighteningly accurate and she could only hope that when she reached the age he was now, she too would have similar finesse and impeccable timing.

"Yo," he said with a wave of his gloved hand as he opened the door from his side, standing aside so she could pass through the doorway before turning to lead her to his room.

"Ritzy place you have here," the kunoichi muttered as they made their way up a narrow stairwell.

The building looked just as bad on the inside as it did from the street. The grayish brown paint was cracking into an intricate web work of fine lines and actually peeling away in some places.

"Hey, with the budget the Hokage allotted us for this mission, I couldn't exactly go for anything upscale," Kakashi said over his shoulder as they entered the third floor landing. "However, I still think this place is considered the best on this side of town."

Sakura wasn't surprised by that. Even though Fuzen Machi was responsible for the latest technological developments, it seemed that Wet Dreams was located in a part of the city that could only be described as run down. Businesses still had flashing lights but every building for blocks looked like it had seen better days.

After walking down a dark and dingy hallway, Kakashi arrived at his door. The tarnished metal letters read 3 4 but after a glance at the door across the way, she realized it should have read 304 but the "0" was long gone.

The Copy nin made a few quick hand seals before placing his palm on the door, dispelling whatever jutsu he had put on it before sliding his key into the lock. The door swung open to reveal a space that was surprising large. It was by no means luxurious but it was bigger than a broom closet which was what Sakura had expected.

Like some of the other inns she had stayed at, the room contained a bed, a chair a small writing desk and a nightstand with a lamp. The rest of the room was spacious but it was hardly a homey atmosphere with the matted and dirty shag carpet that covered the floor. It looked as if at one time it might have been a pleasant shade of blue but now was more of a grayish brown like the walls downstairs.

Ignoring the numerous stains on the floor, Sakura made her way over to the window as Kakashi unwound his scarf from his face to reveal his customary mask beneath. Sakura peaked through the grimy curtain to see the street below. It was hardly past six in the evening but already the neon signs were buzzing to life, some flickering wildly in disrepair.

Sakura nearly laughed out loud as the store directly across the street caught her eye. Green neon blinked on and off advertising "XXX Adult Books". Kakashi could not have chosen a more suitable location for himself.

"Well, I guess you won't have to look far for Icha Icha novels," Sakura smirked, casting a knowing glance to her ex sensei.

"They don't have anything I don't already have," Kakashi said with a shrug and Sakura resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It figured he had already checked it out thoroughly.

"So what have you been up to besides perusing porn shops?" Sakura asked, stepping away from the window and flopping down in the lone chair.

Kakashi raised a silver eyebrow before plucking a folder out of his pack that had been hidden under the bed.

"I've been 'perusing' the whole town actually. I made a map so go ahead and familiarize yourself with it."

She huffed in annoyance at his ever present efficiency and snatched the map away grudgingly, earning an amused chuckle from the older man.

"Besides," he continued, his eye creasing jovially. "I'm going to be spending most of my nights in a strip club. I don't think I'll be reading nearly as much as in Konoha considering the scenery that comes with the mission.

Sakura felt her cheeks flush as she glared at him. He might continue to find this situation amusing but she certainly didn't. Despite her practice sessions with both Tora and the Misaki/Miyabi duo, she was still jittery and nervous about performing. Kakashi probably knew it too but that didn't keep him from poking fun at her.

She noted with irritation that the map was almost perfectly to scale and clearly labeled. While she had been sound asleep last night, it appeared her partner had been out mingling with the night life, and judging by many of the places that seemed to be part of illegal trade operations, he had been asking questions too.

She also saw that several female clothing stores were marked and she made a mental note of their location. Although she would never admit it to Kakashi, she was actually looking forward to doing a little shopping. The life of a kunoichi so often robbed her of her feminism that it would be nice to engage in a truly girly activity for a change.

As she scanned over the paper, Kakashi rummaged through his pack until he produced something small and black

"Here," he said, motioning for Sakura to hold out her hand. When she did he distributed a small, electronic device in her hand and upon closer inspection, she realized it was a cellular phone. "I'll need a way to contact you in an emergency situation since your room has no windows and there are too many people who might see me try and infiltrate from the first floor.

So he had already done a thorough inspection of the club as well. He had been busy.

"I have one too," he said, holding up a twin gadget. "If I ever need to get a hold of you, I can call you or at least text message you. I have it programmed to vibrate and it would probably be best to leave it that way so there is less of a chance of the other girls finding it. My number is already programmed on speed dial"

Sakura had used wireless headsets before but this was the first time she'd ever had a cell phone on a mission. They weren't really commonly used in Konoha. As neat as the little devices were, she wondered if they were really necessary. Explaining why she had one if one of the girls ever caught her using it might prove difficult.

"So, you say you can't even afford a nice place to stay and yet you get us cell phones?" the kunoichi asked incredulously.

"They didn't cost much and the service is free," Kakashi said with a dismissive wave. "Besides, there will be many times when I can't get to you without being noticed and that will make people suspicious. It may end up that we don't use them at all but it never hurts to be safe."

"Free service?" Sakura grumbled. "How did you manage that?"

Kakashi's expression probably would have been best described as a wry smile if she had been able to see his lips.

"You just have to know how to bargain."

Sakura wanted to scoff. Did "bargain" mean refraining from tearing off somebody's arm if he got what he wanted or was the Copy nin actually skilled when it came to shopping? Either way, Sakura wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer.

XXXXX

The next couple of hours were spent discussing what Sakura had observed at the club during her stay. She briefly described the girls and all their personalities and their tight knit relationships that seemed more like family that friends or coworkers. She added that while Dajaku was indeed a seedy businessman, he didn't seem so bad and genuinely did seem to care about his dancers, if only to make sure his club remained prosperous. She also mentioned Tsurenai and her cold and aloof exterior but since the diva hadn't been at breakfast, Sakura hadn't really gotten the chance to find out more about her.

Kakashi too retold his findings, though he admitted finding no obvious clues as to where the missing dancers could have gone. He also suggested they come up with subtle signals as a way to communicate while she danced and he watched, whether it be the crook of a finger of the tilt of her head.

"When you want to get my attention, maybe you could shimmy," Kakashi said and Sakura had to just about pick her jaw up off the floor before she saw the mirthful glint in his eye and realized he was kidding.

"Not likely," she pouted, feeling a little awkward after her partner's comment.

The image of herself grinding heatedly against her ex sensei in front of the mirror was still vivid in her mind and even though it was just a simple exercise to show her how it felt to lust, she couldn't help blushing at the memory of it. He had made her feel things that a teacher should never make a student feel and she was still a little embarrassed about it and how easy it had been for him to work her up.

Now he would be watching her dance in a set of underwear that she would normally never be caught dead in…and then he would watch her take her top off.

"That reminds me Kakashi," she said from her seat, crossing her arms over her chest and fixing him with a pointed stare. "You never told me this club was topless."

"I assumed it was implied," Kakashi said simply, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking far too relaxed for the conversation they were having. "Besides, it wouldn't really have made a difference whether you had known or not. Tsunade planned to send you either way."

Sakura's foot tapped on the floor irritably. She supposed he had a point, and not knowing about having to remove her top until last night had saved her a great deal of time worrying when they had been on the road. But still, in just a few hours, he was going to see her…her…!

"I know," she grumbled out. "It's just that you were my teacher when I was twelve, and now you'll be seeing me practically naked. Don't you think that's weird?"

Kakashi continued to meet her gaze evenly, his mask covering any trace of emotion he might have displayed.

"Sakura, they're just breasts."

Sakura didn't know whether she wanted to sigh in relief or walk over and whack him upside the head. Just breasts. Just breasts? Well at least he wouldn't be viewing her as a sex object like every other man in the room but at the same time, Sakura was disappointed that her miniscule chest wasn't even a little bit intriguing to her partner. Then again, she supposed a man as experienced as Kakashi would hardly bat an eyelash when presented with a figure such as hers. He had seen women far more curvaceous and beautiful, probably both in his books and in his bed.

"Well even if they're just breasts, I'm not exactly accustomed to putting them on display," Sakura shot back sourly, pouting in her chair like a child that had been reprimanded.

Kakashi sighed, letting his head tip back to stare at the water stains on the ceiling.

"Well let's hope we find the kidnapper quickly then. The sooner we take him out, the sooner we can go back to Konoha."

Now that was a statement Sakura could most definitely agree with.

XXXXX

Sakura assured the Copy nin she didn't need him to escort her back down the stairs. The less they were seen together, the better and she needed to hurry if she was going to get back to the club with enough time to get ready.

Kakashi watched her pull her damp cloak over her candy colored locks and leave with a small wave.

"See you tonight," she said softly, and then she was gone, emerging a few moments later into the heavy drizzle. Kakashi could see her slip into the thickening throng of people from his window, her smaller figure shifting out of his sight in the waning light. It seemed this town was mostly nocturnal. After all, it was easier to conduct shady business in the darkness.

Only when he could no longer see her did Kakashi step away from the window, uttering a sigh that sounded more like a groan as he sank into the chair she had been occupying. The worn wood was still warm from her body heat and rubbed his eyes gently as he tried to sort out the thoughts jumbled in his mind like tangled string.

It had been obvious Sakura was still nervous about tonight's performance and he had simply tried to lighten the mood with snide remarks. However, he had not expected a comment about her shaking her tits at him to get his attention to come out of his own mouth. Not only had it conjured up an image of the younger ninja doing exactly that, but it hadn't served to cheer Sakura up at all.

Apparently the "lesson" he had given her back at the inn had left a greater impression that he had counted on, for ever since then, thoughts of how she had looked, how she had felt sliding against his body had seeped unbidden into his mind. He did his best to dismiss them as a natural result of not having been with a woman for some time, but that still did not excuse the fact that on that same night, as he had tried to relieve himself in the cramped space of the shower, it had been her in his fantasy, her lips wrapped around his cock as he imagined the hot water on his skin was in fact the heat of her mouth.

Honestly, the way she had crept into his mind was a complete surprise. He had noticed that Sakura had indeed grown and matured, but he had never paid attention to the developments in her body besides the obvious increase in strength and ability.

Sakura was a full fledged woman now, a fact made obvious by the way she had moved against him heatedly, whimpering deliciously as his hands on her skin fueled her desire.

Kakashi shook his head to clear the thought away before it had a chance to fully form. This sort of thought was intolerable. He could not start thinking of Sakura that way. She had made it quite clear she was uncomfortable with her role on this mission and it wasn't fair of him to start fantasizing about her because of the awkward position she had been forced into. He respected her too much to let his mind wander about how he could further educate her in the realms of sex.

So if that was the case, why did her pink haired visage keep popping into his head?

Kakashi shut his eyes and groaned again. It was bad enough now but it was bound to only grow worse after tonight. He knew that after he saw her body exposed, the image would be burned into his mind. He couldn't distract himself by looking at other woman because he had to work closely with her in locating suspects for her to "interrogate" so he would definitely be getting an eye full whether he wanted to or not.

He needed a clear head for tonight and he couldn't afford to drift off in some daydream, but as much as he wanted to push his needs away and become nothing more than a tool of Konoha for this particular mission, he found that the natural desires that came with being a man just wouldn't go away.

Wearily he stood from the chair and began to gather what he would need for tonight.

Perhaps if he had a bit of time to spare he would visit a local bar since every other establishment seemed to serve alcohol around here. There had to be at least one woman who would take an interest in him. His mask usually piqued their curiosity and his smooth charm often sealed the deal. As much as he disliked the idea of picking up a woman in the middle of a mission, he hoped that if he could finally end his dry spell with women and get all his frustration out of his system, the impure thoughts about his former student would go away.

One thing was for sure though. He was almost as apprehensive about tonight as Sakura was. In all his years as a shinobi, he had never had to gaze upon a student, former or not, while she was naked.

XXXXX

Ok, that's all for now. I promise she'll dance next chapter! Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Whew, I was beginning to think I would never get this chapter done! It was definitely a struggle between school and work to get this done! Alright, enough blabbing and excuses. Enjoy!

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Stripped Bare-Chapter 7

Sakura had experienced crowded places and chaos before. Hell, sometimes she even thrived on the hustle and bustle of busy places, but she had never been in a situation like this before and honestly, she wasn't really sure what to make of it.

She and the other five dancers were crowded into the downstairs dressing room, which had seemed small before but when filled with six bustling bodies seemed microscopic. The room was hot and slightly humid thanks to the body heat and lit makeup mirrors and the smell of hairspray was thick in Sakura's nostrils. All the girls were chatting happily as they slipped on their practically nonexistent costumes and went about primping themselves, completely unconcerned by the fact that a string and two pieces of fabric about the size of the eye patch Kakashi had taken to wearing were the only things keeping them decent.

Sakura glanced down at her own exposed body for the umpteenth time and groaned inwardly. The pink fabric contrasted nicely with her pale skin but the garments were just so damn tiny! The triangles of her triangle top did little to support her breasts, covering mostly the center of her modest curves leaving rounded flesh peeking out either side. Her bottoms only covered what was absolutely necessary in the front. She had taken Kitsune's advice and shaven off her pubic hair in the shower before dressing for the show since the panties dipped so low that a tuft of pink hair would have showed over the edge. As far as the back side of the garment, Sakura would rather not think about it. The piece of fabric over her crotch tapered into practically nothing and she could already feel the small strip between her cheeks riding up uncomfortably. How these girls could bear the feeling of being slowly, painfully cut in half, she would never know.

On her way back from Kakashi's apartment, she had met Dajaku at the predetermined place so they could return together without looking suspicious, to back up their story that they had indeed gone to run errands. The balding man seemed a little perturbed she had taken so long but said nothing as they went back to the club. Before they entered Sakura had relayed the plan Kakashi had concocted, of having a nightly record of every man the girls took in for a private lap dance. All three of the girls had gone missing during or shortly after dancing at the club and the Copy nin felt it would be helpful to keep an account of just who got close to the girls. Dajaku had agreed reluctantly, saying it would be difficult considering most of his customers would probably rather remain anonymous but he would do the best he could and said he would pass the information on to the bouncer and the other girls while she took her shower.

Sakura hoped that "other girls" included Tsurenai. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen her all day. Kitsune had mentioned at breakfast that she never ate with any of them, preferring to keep to herself in her own bedroom rather than mix with the riffraff she obviously considered them to be. Sakura didn't understand how she could turn up her nose at everyone all the time. She had to get lonely in a place like this with nobody but the dregs of the male society who were only too eager to "comfort her" and the occasional conversation with her money grubbing boss. Sakura decided that was almost certainly more to the purple haired woman than what met the eye and she would try and unravel the mystery behind the diva whether she liked it or not.

Half an hour after returning to the club, she was clean and dressed…well, kind of, and was sitting in a chair with damp hair and no makeup watching the other girls transform before her eyes. They had all been pretty before but with a few ratty makeup brushes, they were quickly turning into beautiful creatures she hardly recognized.

And she had no idea how to achieve a similar makeover.

Sakura had never been one for spending hours in front of the mirror, even after she had let her hair grow out. While it was short, things had been incredibly simple and even now that at it was long, she seldom did more than brush it out or tie it into a tight braid to keep it out of the way. And as far as makeup went, a dash of tinted lip gloss every now and then was pretty much all she ever bothered with.

She had a feeling she would need more than a little lip gloss for this particular performance.

"Hey Hana, what's the matter?" Misaki asked, her blue eyes looking even bluer now that they were rimmed in shimmering brown eye shadow and thick black kohl. "If you don't start getting ready soon, you won't be done before the show starts."

Apparently she had been sitting uncomfortably in her chair for so long that she had managed to draw attention to herself and she felt heat flush her cheeks as she admitted that her daily beauty routine hardly required lip liner and eyelash curlers.

"Yeah, well…I kind of have…this problem," the kunoichi finished lamely, painfully aware that the cheerful buzz of voices had momentarily gone silent and all eyes seemed to be on her.

"What's the matter?" Jitsu asked, her pretty brown hair coiled into gorgeous curls. "If you don't have makeup, we'd be more than happy to share."

"Well, the thing is," Sakura said, trying not to fidget with her top because no matter how she tugged at it, it wouldn't cover any more skin. "I've never worn much makeup or done anything fancy with my hair."

For a second, nobody said anything and Sakura felt her blush grow from warm to scalding. This was like those dreams where you went to school naked and had to endure utter mortification until waking. Konoha had been a ninja village, and as a result, many of the girls went without frivolous things like makeup. When she had finally gotten serious about her training, she had stopped caring about her appearance so much, but in a place like this, looks were probably the most important thing. She was sure they were all going to burst into laughter at any moment.

"So, you mean, you don't really know how?" Misaki asked gently and Sakura shook her head, her eyes cast to the floor to escape their stares.

"Well honey, why didn't you say so!" Tora exclaimed, wielding a long metal rod that she had heard referred to as a curling iron. "We'll have you done up in a jiffy!"

"Leave the makeup to me!" Misaki cried enthusiastically, and dashed off before Sakura had a chance to protest. Ten seconds later she found Tora brushing out her hair and the blonde dabbing concealer on her face with a wedge shaped sponge.

"Wow, you're skin is so clear! I hardly have to use any foundation at all," Misaki marveled as Tora began to wrap sections of her pink tresses around the hot barrel of the curling iron and then sprayed them liberally with hairspray. "And I have a shade of eye shadow that will really make those green eyes of yours pop!"

Sakura was a little stunned but certainly wasn't about to argue. Ino had always been trying to give Sakura makeovers but the medic had never been interested, refusing to go back to the shallow girl she had once been, but now she wished she had taken at least a little interest in makeup tips.

"So, you don't think it's weird I know absolutely nothing about this?" Sakura asked timidly before Misaki gestured for her to close her eyes.

"Well let's see," Misaki giggled as she loaded up a brush with a deep purple shadow. "You were a farm girl who spent a lot of time at the local dojo. What is there to be surprised about? It's obvious you're a tomboy!"

"But that's all going to change tonight honey," Tora said from behind, releasing the hair wrapped around the rod to produce a luscious, candy colored curl. "Anybody who knew you before would never recognize you now. We'll make sure you're drop dead gorgeous!"

Misaki prompted Sakura to look upwards as she drew dark lines along her lower lashes and the kunoichi quietly wondered to herself just how would Kakashi react to her new look? After the show, he would either laugh and say something slightly perverted in fun or remain quiet about it altogether. Even with a personal hair and makeup artist on her side, she doubted she was a match for the fictional women in his books or the real women in his bed, and for some strange reason, she was a little disheartened by that. She didn't know why, but for some incredibly strange reason she wanted Kakashi's approval, for him to say a kind word to her like he had done after some of their more intimate "training" sessions. Perhaps she just wanted the comfort and reassurance from the one familiar face in the sea of strangers on this mission. Whatever the reason, Sakura didn't have time to examine her feelings anymore thoroughly before Dajaku suddenly poked his head in the door.

"Ten minutes girls."

Sakura's pulse fluttered in a combination of nerves and panic.

"Will you guys have enough time to finish?" she asked the women working diligently on her hair and makeup.

Tora laughed lightly and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"You'll be fine honey, just leave everything to us."

XXXXX

Eight minutes later, the girls announced they had finished and she was hustled out of the chair and over to the wings of the stage, teetering unsteadily on the silver stilettos Miyabi had let her borrow.

"Jeez, how do you guys walk in these things?" she muttered as she wobbled her way after the redhead in front of her.

"You get used to it," Kitsune assured, moving easily on her own spike heels that were at least an inch taller than the kunoichi's.

Sakura could feel her heart hammering in her chest as the time drew near. She had already agreed that she would dance the second set of songs with Jitsu and Tora, leaving the other three to the first fifteen minutes of stage time to watch some of their moves and mentally prepare herself for her debut. However, she had been fretting about this moment ever since the mission started, her mind consumed with worrying about her first night on stage. She didn't think she could get any more prepared than she already was. She just wanted to get out there and get it over with.

The lights dimmed and a new song started as the first three girls made their entrance, eliciting cheers and whistles from the crowd. Sakura's eye immediately went to Miyabi whose poise and grace were unparalleled whether she was twirling on the pole or writhing on the floor. The men must have thought so too for as soon as she got close to the edge, dirty hands with equally grimy bills were thrust in her direction. Either these men knew a good thing when they saw it or they just appreciated her endless legs and lithe body, covered by a few scraps of shimmering cobalt blue.

While watching, Sakura happened to glance over her shoulder at Jitsu who was putting on some last minute deodorant. She happened to catch a glimpse of her own face in the makeup mirror and gasped softly at what she saw. She actually raised her right hand and shook it, making sure the girl looking back at her did the same, for though the image reflected had pink hair and green eyes, it wasn't somebody she had ever seen before.

Tora had transformed her hair into wild curls that flowed down her back and her jade eyes looked even greener when contrasted to the purple eye shadow that had transformed her into a sultry and sensual creature. Her lips were painted a shimmering pink and her cheeks possessed an alluring rosy blush. If Sakura hadn't known for a fact the woman she was looking at was indeed herself, she never would have believed it.

She was beautiful!

"You look gorgeous honey!" Tora said as if reading her thoughts. "Just don't let it go to waste tonight. Make sure you get out there and find yourself the richest looking man in the crowd and don't let up until he's emptied his wallet."

The set of songs ended, and the girls who had been dancing stepped off the stage to walk through the crowd to their next position, collecting the money that the unruly males were eager to shove into their garter belts and thongs. Tora placed a reassuring hand on Sakura's shoulder, steering her towards the stage.

"Come on honey, let's do this!"

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Kakashi had staked out his spot in the back of the room, dressed in drab clothing that would neither draw attention nor betray him as a shinobi. Except for the eye patch over one eye and the scarf over the lower portion of his face, he looked completely normal and blended easily into the rough looking crowd, sipping cheap beer and gazing casually around the room, searching the rugged faces for anyone who Sakura should question further. Unfortunately, it appeared that any one of the men crowded into the bar could be a wanted criminal for one reason or another, and considering the nature of the town they were in, most of them probably were. Kakashi decided the best bet was to carefully watch how they interacted with the dancers and hope the culprit would do something that would betray his identity.

When the lights went down, the Copy nin subconsciously sat up a little straighter in his chair, his attention directed towards the stage, but when the first song ended and Sakura hadn't appeared, he relaxed a bit. Apparently she was waiting to come out for the second set and Kakashi found himself battling conflicting emotions as his eyes skimmed over the girls currently dancing. He was quite eager to see Sakura emerge from the wings and put everything he had taught her into practice, perhaps a little too eager, and for that reason he was simultaneously very, very uncomfortable.

He refused to consider his rising curiosity about Sakura was anything more than a brief infatuation due to the fact that she had never been anything more than a student and later a fellow shinobi to him and now, thanks to this mission, he was seeing her as a woman, and a very beautiful woman at that. It was only natural that he liked to look at her…liked the feel of her against him as she had timidly ground against his thigh while he instructed her on how to give a lap dance. Speaking of which, he wondered if he did indeed find someone worth questioning, if Sakura would be a proficient enough seductress to extract the needed information.

He was forced to put his thoughts on hold as another song finished and the dancers on stage descended the stairs into the audience, rotating to different platforms and collecting tips along the way. That meant that any second now, Sakura would be making an appearance.

A pretty and petite brunette emerged from the wings, followed by a redhead who was quite stunning, yet the moment the third girl entered the room, everyone else became invisible.

There was Sakura, looking so exquisite that he almost choked on his beer in surprise. If it hadn't been for her pink hair and athletic body, he might not have recognized her, and speaking of her body…wow.

Sakura had never been one to dress provocatively, in fact, he hadn't seen more than her legs and arms and the occasional flash of midriff during training and even during their more intimate encounters, she had been wearing an oversized T-shirt. But now, her figure was on display and he had to admit that she was very nicely put together, her legs looking impossibly long in those sexy silver heels.

Speaking of heels, just when did she learn to walk in things like that?

As if on cue, Sakura's heel wobbled and pitched her forward. She probably would have fallen flat on her face if she hadn't been close enough to her pole to grab on and save herself. The blunder wasn't massive but a few chuckles from men sitting around him told Kakashi that he wasn't the only one that had seen her trip.

'Come on Sakura, pull it together. I know you can do this,' he thought silently from his position in the back.

Hesitantly, Sakura straightened and began walking around the pole just as the music began to start, still a little unsteady on her feet but better now that she had something to hold for balance.

The Copy nin was far enough away that he couldn't see her face clearly but he could tell someone had done her makeup and obviously her hair. She looked amazing and more womanly than he had imagined she would be, and even if the color around her eyes was a bit heavy for his taste, he could see her glossy lips glistening even from his seat in the back and found that he rather liked the shimmering accent on her.

She certainly looked the part, now all she had to do was act it out.

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Sakura had undoubtedly been in more life threatening situations than all the dancers combined, and yet she was more terrified than any of them as she stepped onto the stage for the first time.

She could instantly feel countless eyes upon her and one glance at the dark faces in the crowd made it clear that their thoughts were anything but pure. She could see them checking her out from top to bottom and in most cases, undressing her with their eyes. It was like she was being visually raped by almost every person in the room and for a moment, her heart was hammering so hard she thought it would beat right out of her chest.

She was so distracted by the people around her that she didn't focus on her feet like she should have and lost her balance when one silver stiletto wobbled dangerously. She made a less than elegant save by steadying herself against her pole which was fortunately within arms reach and tried to force herself to calm down. Kakashi was in the crowd somewhere and he was no doubt watching her. She couldn't mess this up now when he was counting on her, believing in her.

A song with a steady thrumming beat started up, the bass turned up so high she could feel it reverberating in her bones and she forced herself to let go of the pole and find more stable footing. Kitsune and Jitsu started dancing on the same large platform she was on and the other three had begun solos on smaller stages in the audience. It was now or never.

'I am a sex goddess. Everybody wants me and I love it,' Sakura thought, trying not to burst into hysterical giggles at her own ridiculous thoughts, and yet, the silent mantra served to calm her nerves slightly and give her the confidence she needed.

She tried to remember everything that had been taught to her concerning dance and seduction and began to move in time to the primal thrum of the music as she looked out into the crowd, scanning the endless faces for one that was wearing a mask.

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Kakashi watched his former student carefully as she recovered from her stumble and began to dance. He could see tension in her body even from his seat in the back but that was to be expected. She had to be nervous as all hell to get on stage like this for the first time, and yet, he would have been lying if he had said he wasn't captivated by how she began to move, her hips swiveling in time to the thumping bass as she circled her pole on lean, muscular legs.

"That one must be new," a large man to Kakashi's right said to the brutish man he was drinking beer with. It didn't take a genius to figure out they were talking about Sakura.

"Yeah, looks like she hasn't figured out how to work the pole yet," the man said between large gulps of alcohol.

Kakashi let his eyes slide sideways and watched them leer at the woman onstage, their eyes dark and hungry in a way he didn't like at all.

"Yeah, well I can think of a few tricks I could teach her about how to work my pole," the first man grinned lecherously. "One night with her and I could have her riding like a pro before morning."

The Copy nin's hand tightened around his glass and he had to force himself to relax before it shattered in his grip. Comments like this were common. He had already heard plenty of lewd words said about the girls the night before but none of them had really bothered him, at least not like this. Even if Sakura was supposed to be a stripper for this assignment, she was still a person and not a piece of meat on the market. He would have liked to shoot the pair a rather nasty look but refrained, knowing that if he drew attention to himself, he would be jeopardizing their mission.

Instead, he redirected his attention once again to the crowd but it was hard to pick out a suspect when everyone in the room looked shady. He should have known it wouldn't be so simple as to pick someone out just by looking at them.

He leaned back in his chair, tugging on the dark cap that covered his silvery hair and tried to make a mental note of the faces gathered round without making it to obvious he was doing so. Perhaps he could watch for frequent visitors observe patterns of individuals.

However, even though he tried to remain focused, his eyes kept drifting back to the pink haired woman on stage. She was climbing the pole now, easily swinging her body around on it thanks to her upper body strength, and while it seemed she was still too shy to open up her legs into split positions like some of the other girls were doing, she wasn't doing a half bad job. He noticed she tended to spend more time on the pole as opposed to on her feet or on the floor, the obvious reason being she didn't have to be so sexy when pole dancing. Moves on the floor required her to undulate and grind and Kakashi had seen firsthand how uncomfortable doing those things made her. Despite this, it seemed she had intrigued many of the people in the club judging by the groups of heads that were turned in her direction. Many were whispering to each other and nodding their heads at her, others were grinning with lecherous expressions, no doubt wondering what was hidden beneath the scraps of pink she wore.

Kakashi tried his damndest not to be bothered by it. Hell, it was a good thing she had people interested in her. When the time came to give lap dances, it meant she could have her pick of the crowd and that was what they wanted.

So why then was there a strange feeling gnawing at his gut as he watched the other men watch her? Perhaps it was just the need to protect her as he had done as her teacher all those years ago. Old habits died hard after all. And yet as he watched his former student spiral down the pole to land on the ground with a twirl before climbing back up again, he knew that she was a far cry from the fragile girl she had been and no longer needed protecting from him. She was a woman now, a strong, stubborn and surprisingly sexy woman who was currently upside down, wrapped provocatively around a pole.

Kakashi swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. Just how he had missed a transformation like that, he would never know.

XXXXX

As Sakura gazed over the shifting figures in the crowd, she realized she had never felt anything like this before. It was clear by the expressions of the men looking at her hungrily that she was wanted, desired, and that was both gratifying and quite terrifying for the young kunoichi.

Nobody had ever looked at her like that back in Konoha, like they wanted to eat her alive, and while it was frightening to think they would satiate their lust for her if they were ever given the chance, it was also a little empowering to know that her own womanly body could be the newest weapon in her arsenal. However, she felt a little like a small child being given a loaded gun. Sure she could wave it around and it was undoubtedly dangerous, but she wasn't sure how to use it properly. She hadn't had time to hone her skills before being thrown into the battlefield and now here she was, a lamb among the wolves.

Fortunately, she wasn't quite as helpless as the average female.

The song finished and she made her way down the stage steps and through the crowd to her next position. Many men catcalled and whistled as she walked by, offering her bills which they slid under the straps of her thong.

She shot them timid smiles and tried to control the urge to break the next hand that touched her, because it seemed that the hands giving the money lingered a little longer than necessary and he could have sworn one grazed her breast and several others her butt as she walked by.

This was what those girls had to put up with everyday, being pawed by strangers just to earn a meal. Stripping certainly wasn't as glamorous as it was sometimes made out to be, but she wouldn't run now, not with Kakashi watching her.

She reached her new platform, her pink thong now brimming with bills and managed to climb the stairs without another mishap with her shoes. When the music started again, she began to move her hips in slow, lazy circles, just as Kakashi had showed her, and noticed that a couple of the men nearest to her were following her every movement.

She shot them what she hoped was a sultry glance as she let her eyes gaze over them, trying to examine them closely while making it look like she was still performing. So far, the only thing suspicious about them was that they were both a couple of perverts, but that could be said for most of the men here.

With a final swivel of her hips, she hooked her leg around the pole and pulled herself up, holding on with just her legs stretched out in front of her and the pole held firmly between her thighs. When she saw the men were still looking at her raptly, she blew one of them a kiss before grabbing with her hands and spiraling down. Sure the gesture was a little juvenile but she didn't know what else to do. She wasn't exactly an expert at flirting and even if she was, she wasn't exactly sure how to go about it in a strip bar.

She climbed the pole again, higher this time and found that from this new stage she could see more of the back of the room. Her eyes scanned the crowd and she found a man sitting along in the back in a hat and heavy coat, but what really caught her attention was the scarf and eye patch he wore that all but obscured his face except for one eye.

Kakashi.

She looked at him and even though she couldn't see him well from her vantage point, she knew he was looking at her and had been the whole time. Even though he was seeing her in something that covered less than her normal underwear, the thought that he was there with her was strangely reassuring an she let out a relieved breath before flipping herself upside down and sliding down the pole in a straight line until her hands touched the floor and she was able to stay a moment in a steady handstand. She then let one leg arch back down to the ground, giving the paying customers the first glimpse of her panty covered crotch of the night. While it hadn't been intentional, it certainly got some attention for when Sakura righted herself, she found three or four outstretched hands at the edge of the stage holding bills for her which she gingerly allowed to be slipped into her panties along with the rest of her money.

She may not have been a pro at this, but it seemed the patrons here didn't care, preferring to pay for an eyeful of T and A instead of quality showmanship.

Just then, the final song ended and all heads turned towards the main stage as if on cue.

One long, fish-netted leg peeked out from the curtains, the lime green heels she wore at least four inches high. Then a hand followed on a lean and elegant arm, wrist rotating in a graceful circle as she commanded the audience's attention. At last the full figure appeared, slender and stunning, dressed in a lime corset and black panties with matching trim. Her fishnet thigh-highs were held in place by garters and her violet hair was worn straight and long. At that moment, Sakura was sure Tsurenai was the desire of every man in the room and for some reason she was oddly jealous the diva was able to capture their attention with such ease.

As the music started, the star walked over to her pole with more finesse than the kunoichi had displayed on her stilettos and hooked her leg around the pole, grinding her hips against it provocatively in time with the beat. She gave a sultry gaze from beneath heavily mascaraed lashes and let her head fall back as if the pole was an immense source of pleasure. The crowd went wild as she proceeded to climb up the pole, opening her legs to the sides in a split position while spiraling down to give everyone a good look at her barely covered crotch.

Sakura was just as captivated by the rest of the audience, so much so that she almost forgot to keep dancing. Tsurenai made it look so easy and it was obvious she absolutely loved the attention. She wasn't like the other girls who did this because they had to. She thrived on knowing she was the sexual fantasy of so many men and seemed quite at ease that she was paid for it. She may not have been the best dancer in the club but she certainly knew how to perform, the way she licked her lips at a man in the front row proved it, and Sakura wondered if maybe she could learn a thing or two by watching the Wet Dreams' star at work.

All too soon the first song blended into the next and Tsurenai began to tease the crowd further, unhooking the clasps running down her front that kept the two halves of her corset together one at a time. She walked the edge of the stage, presenting the top of her stocking covered leg for the men to stuff bills into and in no time, she had quite an impressive amount. When she had toured the entire platform, she returned to the middle out of reach and let her back rest against the pole, sliding down into a squatting position with her legs spread wide as she popped the last clasp of her top apart and opened it up to reveal the round globes of her breasts, letting her eyes shut and her head tip back as if in ecstasy of shedding the clothing. If the cheers had been loud before, they were deafening now and a fresh set of hands pumped into the air, clasping sweaty wads of money and Sakura wondered just how much money the men who came here carried, and just how much of it ended up in Tsurenai's pocket.

She shrugged out of her chartreuse top and let the fingers of one hand trail down her stomach to where her skin met the black fabric of her thong and for a moment, Sakura thought she was actually going to expose herself further. However, the purple haired woman abruptly closed her legs and slid back up the pole, back pressed against it as she wiggled her hips rhythmically. It appeared she was not only a master performer, but a master tease as well.

By the end of the next song, it appeared she had every man in the room wrapped around her little finger, and when the time came for her to walk into the audience, she could hardly get through thanks to the throngs of men shoving money in her face, all to eager to buy a little of her time and her body. A large, menacing looking man whom Sakura presumed was a bouncer appeared to escort her to the back of the room where she could pick and choose who got a lap dance and who did not.

With the diva gone, the music resumed again and now it was the rest of the dancers' turns to divest themselves of their tops. Halfway through the song she glanced over to find Misaki peeling away her bikini top, looking surprisingly adorable and innocent even as she flaunted her small mounds.

Kitsune was next stripping her top away demurely and then covering herself with her hands, not giving the men a good look until she was lying on the floor on her back and arched gracefully, thrusting her full breasts into the air.

One by one they all exposed their chests until Sakura was the only one left. The kunoichi knew this time would come but had been dreading it, and even now was loathe to uncover herself even further. One of the men who had been quick to shower her with bills at the beginning spoke loud enough for her to hear.

"Come on pinky, show us a little skin."

If it had been in any other setting, she would have pummeled him senseless after informing him that her name was not "Pinky" and she was showing quite enough skin already. However, she was supposed to be nothing more than a normal civilian and getting naked was now her job. She was struck once again by how brave the girls were to face something like this day in and day out and understood a little better why Tora hit the bottle so hard first thing in the morning.

"Have a little patience," she said, trying to be flirty but her voice sounding tighter than she had meant. "You wouldn't want to rush a good thing would you?"

"You keep me waiting too long and I'll have to find someone else to give this to," the man said, snapping a crisp bill in front of her, and Sakura realized that with so much exposed flesh in the room, she would have to work quickly to keep her admirers' attention.

Even if some men were looking at her expectantly, others had lost interest and wandered off to the bar or to offer their cash to other dancers who did not hesitate to show them what they wanted. If she didn't act soon, she wouldn't be able to intrigue the men she needed for questioning.

Taking a deep breath, she faced her pole, gripping it tightly with one hand while the second reached around and pulled at the pink strings tied in a simple bow.

XXXXX

Kakashi had watched Tsurenai dance impassively from his seat in the back. Sure she was pretty and sure she had some good moves but he couldn't really say it was anything he hadn't seen before in other clubs except for the fact she was more shameless than most, her dancing bordering on and crossing into raunchy as opposed to risqué.

He had monitored her actions and noted that she seemed to gravitate towards the men with the most cash which was common among strippers and once she moved to the back to give lap dances, he noted that the men she took behind the curtain were not only seemingly wealthy, but decent looking as well. Apparently when you reached diva status, you could afford to be that picky.

He refocused on the women currently dancing when the cheering began anew and noted the perky little blonde had just exposed her perky little breasts. She was cute and all but it was a little disturbing for some of the men to be so riled up by her dancing. Even with her top off she looked far too young to be dancing in a place like this. Kakashi was anything but timid when it came to sex, but he didn't think underaged women or women who at least looked underage, would ever really do it for him.

Even as the cheering erupted around him, his eye kept traveling back to Sakura. He found himself feeling restless and twitchy in his chair and he had to force himself to remain still as his partner twirled and spun on the pole. This was the moment of truth, the moment when he would see more of Sakura than he ever had before. His heart was hammering and his mouth was dry and he desperately wished he could chance a drink without risking exposing his face. His hands felt clammy inside his fingerless gloves and he was well aware he didn't feel this kind of anxiety even on most of his high ranking missions.

Kakashi was nervous, extremely nervous, and perhaps…a little excited?

No, that couldn't be the case. He was not looking forward to seeing Sakura's breasts because that sort of thought was simply unacceptable. If it wasn't for this mission, Sakura would be keeping herself decently covered as always and taking advantage of such a situation to ogle the poor girl was not proper behavior at all.

And yet, perhaps that's what made it so appealing. Sakura was a forbidden fruit, something he should never even consider looking at in a sexual way and because of that, what he was about to see was practically sacred, at least it would be if an entire room full of people weren't about to witness the same thing.

Sakura turned her back to him, holding the pole in a white knuckled grip with one hand while the other reached around to tug at the bow at the nape of her neck and then the one across her back.

The pink garment fell to the floor where it was instantly forgotten by all as the kunoichi turned around, her arms crossed over her chest shyly as she continued to sway her hips to the music. Slowly, almost luxuriously, Sakura stretched her arms over her head, giving the crowd a good view of her body.

While some men hooted a hollered, one particular man found that he had forgotten how to breathe.

XXXXX

Kakashi knew Sakura had developed some curves since she had first been assigned as his student, but seeing them exposed in all their glory proved they were more luscious than he had expected. It wasn't that they were big, although he imagined they would fit into the palms of his hands quite nicely, but they had the most wonderful shape. They were perfectly round and perky, jigging slightly with her movements and the areolas surrounding her nipples were the same delicate pink as her cheeks when she blushed.

Kakashi had never seen anything so beautiful in his entire life.

"Hey look at that, it looks like pinky has got some nice tits after all," one of the men chuckled to his friend next to him.

It was the same two men Kakashi had overheard earlier and he was all set to turn around and glare at them with his good eye until he realized he had been admiring Sakura's assets just as they had.

"I guess they're all right," the other man said, his voice slightly slurred thanks to the numerous pitchers of beer he had consumed. But I prefer mine a lil' bigger if you know what I'm sayin'."

"I've heard small tits are more sensitive," the other man replied without letting his eyes wander from Sakura's chest. "I bet there's all sorts of things I could do to those that would have her moaning nice and loud."

"So get a lap dance from her n' find out. You can touch 'em if ya pay more."

The man smiled in a way Kakashi didn't like.

"Maybe I will."

Kakashi hadn't warned her about the possibility that the men she gave dances to might be able to touch her breasts for an extra fee. Some clubs allowed it and he wondered if the girls had let her know. The thought of this man grabbing at her made Kakashi tense with anger. Yes there would come a time when it was unavoidable for her to run into a man who would want the extra service with his dance, but that would only be because he was a possible suspect who needed questioning. As far as Kakashi could tell, these two were just a couple of drunken horny idiots and there was no sense in Sakura having to exploit herself for the likes of them.

His focus finally on something besides his partner's body, Kakashi stood, beer in hand as if he meant to go to the bathroom, passing by the couple as he did so. He expertly maneuvered his way towards the two until he say the opportunity he needed. Someone shoved their chair back unexpectedly right in Kakashi's path. He could have easily avoided it of course but he pretended to trip, nearly falling to the floor and spilling his beer all over the man who had set his sights on Sakura.

"What the hell!" the man cried angrily before narrowing his eyes at the man who had abruptly pushed back his chair. Kakashi however, had already blended back into the crowd, continuing on his way to the bathroom and away from the argument that was about to ensue. As far away as he was, he could hear an angry shout over the din of the music saying, "Let's take this outside!" After that, neither of their voices could be heard anymore and Kakashi smirked in satisfaction under his scarf. Even if the asshole won the fight, he would be in no condition for a lap dance now, all covered in beer and probably a little worse for wear considering the guy he had picked a fight with was about the same size. He knew he wouldn't be able to save Sakura from every sleazebag who wanted a piece of her, but at least he had spared her a lap dance with one.

Kakashi waited by the bathrooms, noticing that the men's room was larger with several urinals and stalls while the women's was a tiny room with one toilet. Apparently they weren't expecting as many women as men to come by. That was fine with Kakashi because it suited his purpose perfectly.

XXXXX

Two dances later, Sakura had finished her set and left the stage for a break. She glanced at the spot where she had last seen Kakashi but he wasn't there and wondered where he could have gone as she retreated back to the wings to tie her top back on.

"You won't need that if you're going to give lap dances in a few minutes," Kitsune remarked, handing her a bottle of water from some unknown stash.

Sakura drank nearly half the bottle's contents in one swig before telling her that she wasn't sure if she was ready for that her first night.

The red head shrugged as she sipped at her own water.

"Suit yourself, but you get way better tips if you walk through the audience topless. It's like they can't wait to throw money at you. Speaking of money, you should put yours away before you go back out. It looks like you can't fit much more in your thong."

Sakura looked down to find her pink bottoms were indeed stuffed with cash and gingerly began pulling it out.

"Use a hair tie to hold it all together and just stick it in one of the makeup drawers. You can put yours with mine if you want but count it beforehand so you know exactly how much should be there."

Sakura did as she was told and was surprised by the rather impressive amount she had accumulated. Kitsune's stack of cash was far bigger, but that was to be expected and Sakura wondered if she kept making this much if it would be enough to get Kakashi a better place to stay during their mission.

"You did really well, Hana," the redhead said with a sincere smile as she put the two individual bundles inside her makeup bag and pushed it to the back of the drawer. "I'm really proud of you."

"Thanks," the kunoichi said gratefully. "But it was kind of scary. I'm not used to having so many eyes on me."

"You get used to it," she assured as she applied some deodorant even though as far as Sakura could tell, she wasn't that sweaty. "I personally kinda like having so many people drooling over me. It makes me feel powerful, you know?"

Sakura supposed she could understand that. Some of the guys in the audience had looked like they would have done just about anything for one touch of her slender body.

Well, I should get over to the booths," Kistune said, reapplying some lips gloss before heading back out to the floor. Sakura noticed she had left her top on the table and seemed completely unconcerned that her lush breasts were exposed for all to see.

"I'm telling you, you'll get way better tips without the top," she called before stepping out of the wings and down the stairs.

That was all well and good, but Sakura wasn't here to make money and wasn't sure if she wanted to try and fend off any wandering hands that wanted to sample the merchandise on display.

However, first thing was first. She had to pee, and since the door to the upstairs rooms was locked and she didn't have a key, she would have to use the bathrooms downstairs. Hopefully she could make it there without being groped, propositioned or hit on. Even as she made her way back to the crowd, focusing carefully on walking down the stairs in her heels, she knew that chance was slim.

XXXXX

Just as Kakashi had hoped, Sakura was making her way to the bathroom, doing her best to sweetly but firmly resist all the men who were no doubt whispering dirty words to her as they slipped money under the straps of her thong. He immediately noticed that she had left her top on though the other girls had not. Apparently she was still a little too shy to do what they did.

He glanced around to make sure no other women were heading towards the bathroom and observed that there didn't seem to be any other females in the building at all except for the dancers and the few girls that were waiting tables, wearing much more than the ones on stage of course.

Nonchalantly, he walked to the woman's bathroom and opened the door.

"Hey buddy, you're going into the wrong one," a man remarked on his way into the men's room.

Kakashi noted that while he was tall, he wasn't all that thick, having a more wiry body type like his own. Judging by the muscles flexing under his clothes, this man was a shinobi as well.

"I don't see anybody using this one, so I don't see what the big deal is," Kakashi said evenly, looking the man straight in the eye. The man's eyes were an unusual shade of green, looking more yellow unlike Sakura's deep jade orbs.

"Fair enough," the man said with a shrug before disappearing into the men's room while Kakashi closed his own door. However, instead of locking it, he leaned against the tiled wall and waited, and a moment later, his partner stepped inside.

Keeping his chakra carefully masked as he had while watching her dance, he waited for her to lock the door and flip on the light that turned out to be a single flickering bulb that did little to illuminate the room.

"I thought that was you I saw come in here," she said with a sly smile, turning to him and crossing her arms over her barely covered chest. "Hang out in the ladies' room often?"

"Besides asking for a lap dance in the back room, it was the only place I might have a private word with you," Kakashi said with a jibe of his own, noting with satisfaction that her smile instantly disappeared at the mention of giving him a lap dance.

"Very funny," she replied, sitting into her hip and regarding him coolly.

Even though he was trying to keep his mind strictly on business, he couldn't help but notice how long her legs looked in those heels.

Now that he was up close to her, the makeup that had looked demure and sexy looked a little heavy now. There was no denying that the dark eye liner and purple eye shadow enhanced her features, making her look sexy and exotic, but Kakashi supposed he liked her natural beauty just as much as her heavily painted face. Her hair on the other hand, he liked very much, and was tempted to reach out and touch the luxurious pink curls.

"You do this?" he asked, allowing his hand to graze her pink tresses, finding the waves to be soft under his fingers even though she smelled a little like hair spray.

"No, two of the girls dolled me up for tonight," Sakura replied, smiling as Kakashi let one of her glossy curls slide across his palm. "And I'm glad they did. I wouldn't have had a clue of how to do this to myself."

For some reason, she felt the need to shiver in a way that wasn't entirely bad as he played with her hair but repressed it.

Kakashi chuckled softly as he pictured his student staring at a bag of cosmetics in confusion.

"Well, you look wonderful," he said sincerely, letting her hair fall from his fingers. "It's a nice change from the blood and dirt I've seen you wear."

Sakura was caught a little off guard by his compliment and for a moment, didn't know what to say. Even though it was just Kakashi, for some reason, even the smallest word of adoration had been making her feel a little giddy lately. Then again, she hadn't exactly been herself lately with all that had happened over the past few days.

"Thanks," she said softly, fidgeting a little with a bill stuck under her thong strap before changing the subject. Now what was it you wanted to say? Find a possible suspect yet?"

"No," Kakashi said, flicking his uncovered eye from that skimpy little strap back to her face. "Unfortunately, every single person in that room looks a little shady. I think our best bet is to try and keep track of who visits frequently and who comes in close contact with the dancers the most."

Sakura emitted a long-suffering sigh, resisting the urge to tug at the string bisecting her butt cheeks.

"That sounds like a long process," she groaned. "Isn't there any way to speed this up? I don't want to be stuck wearing stuff like this for months on end," she said, uncrossing an arm to snap the pink string cutting over her hip bone.

Kakashi was about to tell her that he personally thought she looked rather good in her new work attire but bit back the words before he said something that got him punched.

"Well, if you see anybody worth interrogating, by all means, hustle him a lap dance," Kakashi said, crossing the small room to crank on the faucet and wash his hands under the running stream. "But other than that, I'm afraid we'll just have to spend some time scouting out the club until we get a sense of who the regulars are."

He looked up to meet Sakura's gaze in the scratched mirror hanging over the sink to find her looking uneasy. It was clear that the idea of using her body in such a way still did not sit well with her.

"Hey," he said a little more gently, turning to face her as he dried his hands on his pants in the absence of paper towels. "Just hang in there. You did really great out there Sakura. I was impressed."

The kunoichi rolled her eyes, pretending to be exasperated, but really she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit flattered by his remark. Even if he was saying that just to make her feel better, the words still gave her comfort.

"It was scary," she confessed. "I felt so…exposed up there."

She dropped her arms to her sides and sighed again, and even though Kakashi tried to keep his eyes on her face, he was acutely aware of the way her breasts rose and fell with the action.

"Well, this is a strip club you're dancing in, Sakura. Being exposed comes with the territory, and you handled it rather well. Although, I must say, you had me worried for a moment when you tripped over your heels. I thought you were going to fall on your face."

Sakura groaned and buried her face in her hands in mortification. "You saw that? I was so embarrassed! I felt like the whole club was laughing at me."

Kakashi chuckled and shook his head. "No Sakura, I'm sure there were many people who didn't even notice the blunder. They were too busy looking other places besides your feet."

Sakura lowered her hands from her face, her cheeks now tinged pink from his comment. Kakashi noticed this right away and gave her a customary eye crease with his visible eye. "What did you expect, Sakura? They are rather nice."

The second the words left his lips, the Copy nin wished he would have just kept his mouth shut as he saw the way her eyes widened and her blush turned crimson. Her arms came up to cross in front of her chest once more, hiding it from his eyes. He hadn't meant to embarrass her and now he'd gone and made her self-conscious again just when she was getting comfortable with herself.

"I can't believe you saw me topless," she practically whimpered, averting her eyes to the floor.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well, it was kind of unavoidable Sakura, but if you don't make a big deal out of it, neither will I. We are professionals after all."

The kunoichi nodded glumly, pink strands of hair falling into her eyes as she let her arms fall away and immediately, the older man couldn't help but notice the state of the body parts that were currently under discussion. It seemed she had grown rather cold in the bathroom, for the hardened buds of her erect nipples were straining against the material of her top. The resulting bumps were clearly visible, even in the poor light, and Kakashi had to force himself to look away.

Why they hell was he so entranced with a couple of nipples? He had seen plenty in his lifetime and moments ago, he had seen them without the pink fabric covering them, so why was he so captivated by them now? It wasn't like he could touch them, to feel their hardness juxtaposed with the undoubtedly soft and silky feeling of her breasts, breasts that had looked so wonderful up on that stage. If only he could…

As soon as he realized just where his mind had wandered, he shoved the thought away viciously.

'She's my student,' he kept reminding himself fiercely. 'Those kinds of thoughts are not acceptable.'

It was definitely time for him to leave. They had already been together here for too long and people might get suspicious.

"Hey, you should get back out there," Kakashi said abruptly, brushing past her to the door, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder and get a good look at her uncovered ass. His hand on the knob he added, "If I find anyone out there, I'll let you know. I might leave before you finish your shift tonight. You still have your cellphone right?"

"Yeah, it's in my room," she replied, hitching her top a little, trying to make it cover more which was clearly an impossible task.

"All right, I'll see you later," he said, and with that, he left the bathroom casually, shutting the door behind him.

Sakura locked the door again and attended to her business, making her thighs work by hovering over the toilet seat that didn't look very clean.

As she recollected all her money and stuffed it back into her G-string, she noted that the sweat she had accumulated while dancing had turned her outfit damp and clammy, and now that she was away from the crowd and the lights, she could feel a slight chill. For some reason she hadn't noticed it while Kakashi was in the room, seemingly warmed by his very presence and not just the body heat he radiated.

Kakashi was her calm in this raging storm, her teacher, her mentor, and she still hadn't decided if that made it better or worse that he had seen her body nearly in its entirety. She supposed it didn't matter now, because he would probably be seeing her unclothed chest quite often from now on.

She washed her hands and shook the excess water off as best she could, reminding herself to talk to Dajuku about getting some paper towels and seat covers for this grungy little bathroom.

As she exited the bathroom, she noticed the first group of girls that had started off the night were back on stage again starting a new set of dances, meaning in a few minutes it would be her turn to get back up there for a second round.

Everyone dancing already had their tops off, in fact, they had probably never put them back on if they were giving lap dances this whole time.

Avoiding the men who were looking at her like half-starved animals, she made her way over to where there was a row of doors, each one leading to what she assumed were private booths for lap dances. Her thoughts were confirmed when a moment later, Tsurenai exited one of them followed by a very satisfied looking man. The diva immediately fixed her eye on the next man waving a stack of cash and leaned over to whisper something in his ear. Whatever she said caused him to nod his head vigorously and they disappeared behind the door of the room that was adjacent to the bathrooms.

"Hey baby doll, how much for a dance?" a man asked her. His voice was slightly slurred from drinking too much alcohol and his face bore a long scar along his jaw. He was tall and thick but most of his mass was fat and not muscle. If Sakura could describe him in one word, it would have to be "ugly".

As much as she wanted to knock out his few teeth that weren't already black with decay, she refrained and gave him a polite but curt response.

"Sorry, I'm not offering that service tonight."

Before the man could start to protest, she saw Tora emerge from behind a door and spot the pink haired kunoichi and immediately went to join her, pulling her away from the sputtering drunk as they made their way towards the stage.

"Ready for round two?" the taller woman asked as she slung her arm around Sakura's shoulders.

The kunoichi tried not to be unnerved by the fact that the side of Tora's naked and bountiful breast was pressing against her. It was just skin after all and if there was one thing she was going to have to get used to seeing, it was boobs.

"Yeah," she said with a smile as the song currently playing ended, signaling it was their turn to take the stage, and she was surprised that this time, she actually meant it.

XXXXX

Kakashi observed quietly from the back of the room for the rest of the night. As he had expected, there were no remarkable events and no late night visitors that he instantly deemed suspicious, but he preferred to be safe rather than sorry. Besides, he was staked out in a strip club. He'd had worse missions, that much was for sure.

Sakura had continued to dance topless the rest of the night, wrapping her limber body around her pole with ease. While Kakashi was thorough in examining the crowd and trying to memorize their faces, he spent a good part of the night watching her every move.

It was fascinating watching his student that had been more shy than outgoing, and later, more interested in books than boys, suddenly become a sex kitten. It was quite the transformation and Kakashi had to admit, she wasn't half bad at it, not that he was watching her for any reason other than surveillance. No, of course not.

Once during the night, he actually caught sight of Dajaku chatting up a patron happily but couldn't help but notice that the owner's eyes were shifting to Sakura's nude body even more than his own. The Copy nin couldn't be sure whether he was imagining all the money her body would rake in or if he was fantasizing about just what he could do to it. Either way, Kakashi didn't like it one bit and decided he disliked the man even more than before. As much as he wanted to give the balding man a piece of his mind, he refrained from causing any disturbances and soon Dajaku melted back into the crowd, perhaps retreating to his office where he could watch the dancers from the privacy of his room.

Fifteen minutes to close, he slipped from the building before the crowd thinned too much for him to be truly unnoticeable. One glance over his shoulder found Sakura upside down, lean legs clenched around the metal rod as she held herself there easily. Chances were she hadn't seen him get up and leave, which was fine. He could always call her tomorrow so they could meet and regroup, but as of right now, he believed a cold shower was in order. Even if his body hadn't reacted yet, he needed something to flush the lingering thoughts out of his head that revolved around the woman on stage. Try as he might there were some things that no amount of training of self control could ever really vanquish.

XXXXX

The last dance finished and some of the girls went over to see if they could squeeze in one last lap dance for the night and make a little extra money from the men who were too shy or too sober to accept such an offer before. Sakura chose to retire backstage and she noticed that Jitsu was already there, a baggy T-shirt hanging off her thin frame.

"You're not going to go with the others?" Sakura asked, plucking money from where it had been eagerly stuffed.

"I don't give lap dances," she answered quietly. "Never have, never will. I don't care how much money it makes me."

For a girl that seemed so timid, Sakura was surprised by the firmness in her voice. Apparently she disagreed with lap dances wholeheartedly. She was just about to ask why when a voice squealed her code name and a second later, Misaki had attached herself to the kunoichi like a leech…a topless leech.

"Hana! Hana I saw you dance! You did so good, and you looked so pretty! You had a whole ton of men staring at you! You're a natural at this! And the things you were doing on the pole? Wow!"

Sakura was trying to calm the rambunctious blonde down with little luck as Tora joined her.

"Yes, your pole work was rather impressive," she said, giving Sakura a knowing smile. Neither of them had told anyone about their early morning practice and drinking session. It would be their little secret.

"Yes, you did rather well Hana, you should be proud," Kitsune added, patting Sakura on the shoulder where Misaki wasn't clinging to her.

"Thanks guys," Sakura managed to say, as she tried to gently pry the blonde's arms from around her waist. "All of your support really helped. It would have been much harder without everyone."

"That's what we're here for," Miyabi said with a smile, gracefully walking into the room and tying her hair up into a messy bun now that she didn't have to present herself to paying customers anymore. "We're a family now Hana."

"A dysfunctional family, but still a family," Tora added with a chuckle and Sakura had to admit it was true. At the moment, they were all standing around in thongs and high heels discussing her first night as a stripper. What the hell kind of family did that.

"Well, isn't this sweet," a new voice said and all heads turned to find Tsurenai entering the dressing room. She still wore the lime heels and fishnet thigh-highs but her top hadn't made an appearance since she first took it off on stage. Her skimpy thong could barely contain all the money sticking out of it and Sakura wondered if she had made more tonight than all the other dancers combined.

"Hello Tsureanai," Sakura said evenly, trying not to come off as cold even though she was eyeing her critically.

Misaki finally untangled herself from around Sakura's body so she could face the purple haired woman as well.

"I haven't seen much of you today, I was wondering where you went," Sakura asked, making her statement sound innocent as the star dancer walked past.

"I've been here and there, you know, finding interesting things to do."

It was not lost on Sakura that the way she phrased it made it sound like everyone else at the club was a bore.

"I watched you dance for a bit tonight," she continued, changing the subject as if the previous one were unimportant. "I noticed your little stumble, it's a good thing you caught yourself otherwise you could have been in for a nasty spill."

Her voice was sugar sweet and saccharine and that made Sakura all the more angry. She was no fool. She knew Tsurenai would have loved to watch her fall flat on her face.

"I'll be looking forward to watching you improve," she said, moving past her easily on heels that were much taller than Sakura's to climb the stairs and withdraw her key to unlock the door to the upstairs rooms.

"Just ignore her," Kitsune scoffed. "She obviously sees you as a threat and is trying to cut you down in her own petty way."

"But in a way that's good," Misaki chimed in cheerfully. "That means you're good enough to maybe even become better than her some day and she can see that. You've got talent!"

Sakura wasn't sure whether this news was heartening or distressing. Sure it was good that stripping would come naturally, considering it was going to be her occupation for at least a few weeks, but at the same time, if she wanted to get answers out of Tsurenai, she couldn't exactly be on her bad side.

"Whew, I'm exhausted," Tora announced, thankfully shifting the topic from the purple haired snob. "Let's get to bed shall we?"

Sakura couldn't agree more. After everything that had happened today, she could go for a long night of sleep before she had to get up and do this all over again.

XXXXX

That's all for now! I'll try to update sooner next time but I make no promises. Maybe with spring Break coming up I can make some progress on this thing! As always, reviewslove. Thanks for reading!

J-Pop


	8. Chapter 8

Stripped Bare-Chapter 8

Woo! I bring you the fruits of my Spring Break! Keep in mind I could have been doing something fun like lounging by the pool or playing video games but I devoted myself to finish this for all those who were patiently waiting. I you all find it worth it! :)

Mandatory disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and this fic is rated M.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare-Chapter 8

Getting out of bed that morning required an extreme amount of willpower on Sakura's part. There was nothing pressing she had to do until show time and if she had been in the comfort of her own home, it would have been one of those rare days when she stayed nestled in her warm sheets and slept the day away.

Instead, she slipped the cell phone Kakashi had given her from under her pillow and peeked at the time. She wanted to groan when she the saw the numbers 10:47 glowing back at her. Was it really so late? One late night and her sleep schedule was already wacky. It would take some getting used to after all the early morning hospital shifts she had been working in Konoha.

She slipped from her bed and could hear Misaki breathing evenly in the bunk above her, obviously still asleep. Miyabi's bed was neatly made and there was no trace of her anywhere.

She showered quickly and dressed in some thread bare jeans and a long sleeved shirt that was a little too small. Both pieces of clothing were Jitu's who was the closest to her size. Even though she had supposedly gone out with Dajaku yesterday to run some errands, she had returned without any new clothes. Jitsu didn't seem surprised when Sakura confessed she still didn't have much to wear. Apparently it was completely in character for their manager to refuse to pitch in and buy his girls an outfit or two. Sakura was expected to buy her own clothing with the money she earned and at the time, she hadn't had a dime on her. The kunoichi was quite grateful the timid girl had a few extra things lying around that Sakura could wear for the time being.

Twisting her long wet hair up into a bun, she went out into the common room to find her missing roommate curled up on the couch, still in her pajamas and her nose deep in a book.

"Good morning," Sakura said amicably, plopping down onto a ratty cushion beside her. "Is everyone still asleep?"

"I'm not sure, I haven't seen anyone else," Miyabi said briefly, looking up from her book. "But Misaki always sleeps the latest so don't expect to see her awake any time soon."

Sakura smiled at the thought of the energetic girl being more of a night owl than a morning person. It seemed like she was pure sunshine all the time but she supposed even she had moments where she was tired and groggy.

"Do you know where Dajaku is?" Sakura asked, wanting to get a look at the list of names so she could possibly text some of them to Kakashi before everyone woke up and she had too many eyes on her to do anything in secret.

"If he's awake, he's probably downstairs in his office," she replied, tucking a long black strand of hair behind her ear.

Sakura thanked her and turned to leave.

"Oh, and breakfast will be in an hour or so but if you're hungry before then, don't feel like you have to wait," Miyabi added before returning to her book, immediately engrossed in what was written on the pages.

Sakura shook her head in amusement as she descended the stairs. That girl was worse than she was with her medical journals.

She entered the club and saw that the office door was cracked open and the light was on, but as she got closer she could hear voices. One was obviously Dajaku's and the other sounded like Tsurenai. She would have loved to know what they were talking about in hushed whispers but unfortunately, the office's window of one sided glass made it impossible for her to sneak up on them so she calmly walked up to the door, hearing their voices stop abruptly as soon as they caught sight of her.

She rapped on the door softly, pretended she was oblivious to the conversation they had been having and waited for the club owner to tell her to come in.

"Good morning Hana," he said with a smile that exposed his teeth that sparkled a little too brightly. They seemed almost unnaturally white under the fluorescent lights and Sakura guessed he had probably had them bleached.

"Good morning Dajaku, Tsurenai," she said, nodding in each of their directions. The diva didn't say anything but merely gave her a smile that seemed a little forced. She looked stunning as usual, dressed in a pale pink sweater that clung in all the right places and snug pair of what looked to be designer jeans. Where she found a market that sold such things in this town, Sakura had no idea.

"Miyabi told me breakfast is in an hour if you're interested," the kunoichi said hopefully, making it sound like she was more interested in winning the dancer's approval than her real goal of finding out every detail about her.

"I'm sorry, I was just leaving," Tsurenai said in a voice that was anything but apologetic as she turned on a stiletto heel and left the office.

Sakura looked after her a moment through the glass, shaking her head in confusion. It seemed she refused to get close to anyone, especially her.

"What's her problem?"

"It's just as well that she left," Dajaku said, wearily. "She was starting to bore me with complaints."

From the tones of their voices, Sakura suspected that complaints had not been their topic of discussion but kept that fact to herself.

"I assume you came for this?" the balding man said, reaching into a desk drawer and extracting a list of names.

Sakura nodded and reached out for the sheet. Her eyes roved over the names and she was actually surprised to find a few she recognized, most low class missing nin from other villages that had their names in a Bingo Book or two. However, the rewards on their heads were too small to make killing them worth while for most.

"Thanks," she said. "I'll get these to my partner right away."

"You did very well last night," he said, fixing her with approving eyes that shamelessly looked her up and down. "I had no idea you kunoichi were skilled in…other areas besides killing."

Sakura bristled at the comment but held her tongue. She was good at plenty of things besides killing. In fact, murder was one of the things she liked the least about her profession, but of course a shallow minded man like Dajaku wouldn't understand that. On the other hand, she wouldn't mind surgically removing his eyeballs from his head. She had had more than enough of the way he was looking at her as if trying to remember how her naked chest had looked the night before.

"Thank you," she said tightly in response to his complimented, ready to march out the door without another word but Dajaku changed the topic again, interlacing his fingers atop his desk in the picture of perfect composure.

"There's something I would like to talk to you about, Hurano-san, and it includes the tips you made last night."

Sakura's eyes narrowed at the polite surname which almost certainly meant he wanted something, and at the mention of money, she could practically sense the greed radiating off of him.

"Since you are in fact a hired kunoichi and not an actual dancer, I see no need for you to keep the normal percentage of wages that the other girls do," he continued, silvery eyes glimmering like the coins he craved. "Therefore, I think it would be appropriate to turn over eighty percent of the profits instead of the mere sixty and keep just enough to get yourself the minimal provisions you need."

Sakura couldn't believe this man had the gall to say such a thing. It was her money she had earned by strutting around exposed; not his and it was bad enough that he demanded over half to begin with, but to take nearly all of it on the assumption that she didn't need much to get by was infuriating.

"No, I'm afraid I can't do that," she said coolly, her green eyes focusing unwaveringly on the man until he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "You see, we hadn't planned on the lodging here being so expensive and since you refuse to provide us with a dime until we solve your case, I'll be needing this money to pay not only for my partner's room, but for food for the both of us and clothing as well along with any additional resources my partner might need to aid him in completing this mission successfully."

"But you see, you—" Dajaku began, no doubt about to oil his way into having the upper hand, but Sakura cut him off.

"I am undercover here as one of your dancers, therefore, I need to go to all lengths to fit in. I am not here to make you money and in fact, it is you who is paying me and you are lucky I don't decide to keep all of my earnings as compensation for making me take off my clothes every night."

Her tone was stern but held a dangerous tone and she was pleased to see him extract a silken handkerchief and mop at his balding head as he began to sweat nervously.

"But—"

"If you argue with me on this, I will keep the money, every last ryo— and if you have a problem with that, you will forcibly have to take it from me."

Dajaku was not an idiot. He knew damn well that laying a finger on her would be impossible for someone as weak as him.

She could see he was frustrated, but would say no more on the issue. She was tempted to threaten to keep all her money anyways and distribute it among the girls just so they could buy some decent clothes. It was so unfair that they have to run around in rags while he wore silk shirts and gaudy rings on every finger. However, it wasn't wise to cause waves so soon after her arrival. She would get Dajaku to change his policies before she returned home, that much was for certain, but for now, she needed to get some of these names to Kakashi quickly.

She made it back to her room without seeing anyone, not even Miyabi who had left her haven on the couch. Misaki was still snoring softy from her bunk so Sakura took the advantage to grab her cell phone and sneak into one of the bathrooms, which was fortunately unoccupied.

After fumbling with the buttons for a minute, she figured out how to send texts and wrote a brief message.

Hav list. Txt 2 u?

A short moment later, her phone beeped, signifying Kakashi's response. She was annoyed to note his message was quite a bit longer and yet he had sent it much quicker than it had taken her to write hers. Apparently he was better at this whole technology thing than she was.

No. Bag & throw in trash. Mak sur its in dumpster out back b4 4pm.

Kakashi always seemed to have a plan for everything. Well, at least she didn't have to text him the long list. It would have taken her forever and she doubted she could hide out in the bathroom that long without looking suspicious.

Flipping her cell phone shut, she flushed the toilet and washed her hands in case anyone was listening outside the door. She managed to creep back to her room and stash the phone back under her pillow without anyone noticing and headed back downstairs, list safely in her pocket. Now all she had to do was find time to get it out to the trash dumpster behind the club.

She opened the door to the first floor stairs and nearly smacked into Kitsune.

"Hana, I was just looking for you," the redhead said with a smile. "Come here, there's someone I want you to meet."

Sakura was about to protest but found herself being dragged along after the leggy woman who was easily taking the steps two at a time. While Sakura's legs were muscular and lean, she was still on the shorter side and had to lengthen her strides to keep up with the taller dancer.

She found herself in front of the doors that led to the lap dancing rooms and saw that they were all open. A mop and a bucket full of sudsy water lay outside one of the doors which led her to believe they were being cleaned. She wondered how often that happened, for while the club wasn't filthy, it wasn't exactly sparkling either.

She could sense someone moving inside the last room and craned her neck a little trying to see. She was surprised to find the two booths on the end were quite a bit bigger and actually had beds inside…which obviously meant that they were used for other things besides just lap dancing. Did these girls actually do that sort of thing here? Dajaku had not mentioned anything about her sleeping with anyone, but then again, he was the kind of man who would spring a surprise like that on her. Sneaky bastard.

"Juu! Hey Juu," Kitsune called. "I brought the new girl for you to meet."

A large man emerged from the room with an armload of sheets and gave Sakura a toothy smile. His skin was dark and leathery, as if he had spent a great deal of time in the sun, but Sakura didn't see how that was possible in these parts considering all the rain. Everything about him was oversized from his broad shoulders to the giant hand he held out to shake, making Sakura's own look like that of a porcelain doll.

"Hello there," he said, his voice gruff but his eyes brimming with kindness. "Kitsune was right when she said the new one was a looker. You looked good last night but up close, you're even prettier."

The kunoichi was instantly on guard, trying to gage whether this man was hitting on her or not but his words seemed to be an honest compliment. Besides, she didn't think Kitsune would have introduced her if he was scum. Judging by the mop and bucket, she guessed he worked here and had the unpleasant task of cleaning up.

"Sakura, this is Juu," Kitsune said. "He's our janitor by day but at night, he's our body guard who stands outside these rooms. If you ever find one of your clients is giving you trouble, just call for him and he'll take care of everything."

Ah, so that explained how he had seen her dance last night. It figured Dajaku would try and cut corners by having one man do two jobs. She doubting he was getting paid as much as he should. He seemed strong and surprisingly nice, but as far as brains went, her first impression of him decreed that thinking wasn't exactly his area of expertise, making him a perfect hire for the man who wanted to spend as little as possible on anything that wasn't for himself.

"That's right," Juu agreed, his eyes crinkling kindly. "Just shout and I'll be in there to rough up anyone who so much as looks at you wrong."

"Well, thank you," Sakura said with a genuine smile. "That's very kind."

Even though he had a lot of bulk and several ugly scars proving he'd been through some fights, his chakra was quite weak, rivaling on that of a civilian's and she doubted he was even a Genin ranked shinobi. Ninjas of whatever level were more expensive than hired thugs so it was only natural Dajaku had gone for the cheapest choice. But even so, Juu seemed quite nice, although she couldn't trust him completely considering her mission required her to be wary of everyone until given a good reason not to be. Looks could be deceiving after all and though she doubted the large man was so skilled an acting he was merely pretending to be dumb and strong, she wasn't going to let her guard down just yet.

"I don't envy your job," Sakura said as she eyed the armful of sheets that she suspected were on their way to be laundered. She couldn't be sure but she thought she saw something that looked like an off white stain on the dingy sheets but decided she'd rather not know for sure.

Juu followed her gaze to the dirty bedding and took a moment longer than normal to formulate a reply. It seemed he indeed was a little slower than most.

"Well, it isn't so bad once you get used to it," the large man said with a goofy smile. "But I wouldn't mind getting paid with a night with one of you girls instead of cash."

Sakura's warm smile faltered at his words. Did he really just…

"Well, we have some things to do. We gotta get going Juu. See you later!" Kitsune cut in abruptly, snagging Sakura by the arm and steering her back towards the dressing rooms, leaving the janitor waving after them, his toothy and foolish smile still in place.

"He's a nice guy," Kitsune said as she led the way backup the stairs. "A bit perverted and definitely a little slow, but nice. I wanted you to meet him before you start giving lap dances so you know who to call if you run into trouble."

Sakura's stomach lurched a little as a hundred little butterflies took flight inside at the mention of lap dances.

"Thanks, that was considerate of you," she said, truly grateful but not wanting to think about what she would have to do in the very near future.

"Just decline his advances. He's harmless enough," Kitsune advised. "That is, unless you actually want to—"

"No," Sakura interjected a little too quickly. "I don't think that will be a problem."

Kitsune laughed lightly as she walked towards the last room on the right.

"Yeah, that's what we all say. Poor Juu. Maybe one day a girl will actually show him a good time. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a virgin."

Sakura resisted the urge to wince. The red headed woman said "virgin" like it was a bad thing, and perhaps, in this profession it was. She had been holding out for Sasuke for so long that nearly a decade had flown by without her engaging in any serious sexual conquests.

Speaking of Sasuke, she wondered how he would have been looking at her last night if he had been assigned as her partner for this mission. Would he be eyeing darkly, lustfully, as many other men had? Would he be willing to rethink his opinion of her as an annoying girl? Would he maybe…finally think of her as a woman and want to kiss her? Touch her? Rid her at last of her innocence that seemed to be nothing but a burden on this mission? The thought made her cheeks warm in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant as she imagined those dark, cool eyes brimming with fire after one look at her dancing sensually around a pole.

However, knowing Sasuke, she could be completely naked and sitting in his lap and he would still look at her with that same cold expression of quiet disdain.

"Hey, are you listening?" Kitsune asked with an exasperated sigh, snapping her out of her thoughts of Konoha's only remaining Uchiha.

"Huh? I was…I mean…" she stammered guilty; making it obvious her mind had been elsewhere and she hadn't heard a word the redhead had been saying.

"I asked if you wanted some breakfast. From the way you were spacing out, I would say you could use a decent meal."

"Uh yeah, breakfast would be great," Sakura said sheepishly, following her into the makeshift kitchen. Miyabi was already seated at the bench, a bowl of cereal in front of her and her book open before her. It seemed she was so wrapped up in what she was reading that she only remembered periodically to take a bite.

"Is instant oatmeal ok?" Kitsune asked as she went to the wardrobe-turned cupboard.

Sakura replied that it was and sat down across from Miyabi, resting her elbows on the table's splintery surface and cupping her chin in her hands. It probably wasn't even noon yet and already she had had an eventful day. She had been worried about simply grinding back and forth on a strange man's lap but now the thought that she might have to be even more intimate was quite unnerving. Were these girls seriously ok with doing something like that on a nightly basis?

"So…those beds downstairs," she began awkwardly, not sure how to word her question. "They're not for sleeping in are they?"

"No," Miyabi replied even though Sakura had been asking the woman behind her.

"I didn't think so…" she trailed off dejectedly before adding, "I've never…slept with a man for money before."

She neglected to mention that she hadn't slept with a man at all.

"I would be surprised if you had," Kitsune spoke up. "It's not something we enjoy doing and only a few of us here offer that service. The money is really good though and if you decide you want to give it a try I can give you some pointers."

"Uh thanks…maybe later," Sakura stammered, silently thinking there was no way she was going to start using the booths unless she absolutely had to.

A steaming bowl of oatmeal was set in front of her as Kitsune took a seat next to her. Although the meal was simple, it smelled delicious but she supposed all food looked better on an empty stomach.

"So," Kitsune said as she lifted a spoonful of oatmeal to her lips and blew on it gently. "You say you haven't slept with anyone for money, but you have slept with someone right?"

Her violet eyes were sparkling and eager, as if she couldn't wait to share juicy sex stories. In that moment, Sakura thought she looked uncannily like her best friend and was sure Ino and the redhead would get along just fine.

Sakura's felt herself grow warm and she knew it wasn't from the hot food. If Kitsune wanted to swap naughty stories in a bizarre session of girl to girl bonding, she was going to find herself sorely disappointed.

XXXXX

Kakashi was leaning casually up against the brick wall in the back ally behind Wet Dreams with a copy of Icha Icha Tactics to pass the time. He hoped the angry gray clouds above would continue to do nothing more than hang ominously above him because if they decided to split open, that would be the end of his reading session unless he wanted his novel to get soggy.

The jounin seemed relaxed enough but he had done well keeping himself carefully hidden in the dark alcove and thanks to his black jacket, black pants, black cap to cover his hair and black gloves to go with his traditional black mask and eye patch, nobody would notice him unless he wanted to be noticed or unless a relatively high level shinobi came wandering by. If the latter turned out to be the case, it suited Kakashi just fine because that at least gave him someone to interrogate. It was better than just waiting around.

As soon as Sakura delivered the list, he planned to research each and every one of the names on it, but in actuality, they could all come up as dead ends. He knew it was unrealisticto think they could nab the culprit so easily but being on a case without a single lead was a little discouraging. Oh well, he supposed if nothing else, he was getting a lot of reading done.

Kakashi nearly scoffed aloud at that thought, knowing full well he wasn't flipping the pages as fast as he normally would due to the fact that his mind kept drifting to think about a certain woman who wasn't in any of his books. He had been truly impressed with Sakura's performance last night, and while it was obvious she was an amateur, there was a certain grace and fluidity she possessed that made her appealing. In fact, even in the moments when she had displayed her insecurities and flaws, it had only served to enhance her charm in a way that Kakashi wouldn't have been able to teach if they had had a whole year to prepare for this mission. It was true some things simply couldn't be taught so he should consider himself fortunate that his partner had a knack for being cute.

However, cute was probably not going to get them the answers they needed out of tight lipped men. He could only hope her skill as a smoldering seductress would improve as time went on but at least she was getting the attention of men rather than having their eyes pass right over her, although he was loathe to admit that was a good thing.

His need to protect his student was irrational. How the hell were they going to complete this mission if he took it upon himself to shield her from every eye that looked upon her with impure intentions? He wished once again that someone else had been assigned with him on this mission, but wishing was of course futile.

And besides, as much as he wanted to deny it, he had rather enjoyed the sight of Sakura pole dancing.

And he had enjoyed the absence of her top even more.

And there he was, back at the topic he had been trying so hard to avoid all morning but he found that even his beloved books weren't distracting his mind of those pert little globes that had jiggled so temptingly with her every move. Sure they weren't half as big as some of the others on display, but there was just something about them that made him want to explore them at his leisure.

Kakashi snapped his book shut and rubbed his temples in irritation. Hormones, it was just the hormones. It was only expected that he get riled up after not being with a woman for a while. There were so many brothels and bars in this town that it would be easy to snag himself a woman to satiate his lust with, although, he could very well be risking contracting a venereal disease in doing so. For now he told himself he would just have to do his best to haul his dirty mind out of the gutter and take this mission with a grain of salt. Yes, he would be seeing quite a bit more of Sakura's tits before they returned to Konoha. Yes they were nice, exquisite even, but no, he was not going to think perverted thoughts about his student. Well ok, maybe he would think just a few dirty thoughts, but he sure as hell wasn't going to act on them. This was Sakura after all, bright, smart, strangely innocent Sakura who was only putting on a show when it came to being naughty because honestly, Sakura wouldn't know naughty if it hit her in the face and he sincerely hoped it wouldn't on this particular assignment.

Just then, he heard the exchange of voices and heavy footsteps. One of those voices was decidedly Sakura's and he smirked to himself as he discreetly checked the time on his cell phone. He had told Sakura to have the list out here by four but knowing her slightly obsessive personality, he had guessed she would get it done as soon as possible and it looked like he had been right.

Pink hair came into sight from around the corner, contrasting starkly with everything else that was various shades of gray. She held a bag of trash and was followed a moment later by a dark, hulking man carrying an even bigger load, his bag packed so full that it looked like it was on the verge of ripping.

Sakura tossed her bag lightly into the open dumpster and stepped aside so her companion could do the same. Kakashi remembered seeing the brute in the club last night and he assumed he was a supervisor or bouncer, punishing all the men who didn't play by the rules during lap dances. He could immediately tell he wasn't a shinobi but he still retreated a little further into the shadows.

"Thanks Juu," Sakura said, dusting off her hands. "But I could have handled the trash alone."

"But it's not your job to take out the trash, it's mine." The larger man replied, straightening his stained and faded T-shirt that had probably been black at one time but now was an unremarkable shade of gray, just like everything else.

"I know, but I just wanted a chance to get out of there and get some fresh air. I was feeling a little cramped."

Juu looked around with an expression of honest confusion as if he were searching for where the fresh air actually was. Sakura regretted her choice of words. Despite the constant rain, it seemed that the air was never really clear here, but tinged with smoke and chemicals that came with an industrial city.

"Never mind," Sakura sighed, knowing it was useless to try and explain. "I think I'm going to stay out here for a minute, so you can go back inside."

"Are you sure? I don't want anything to happen to you out here." Juu said, his broad forehead creasing in a frown.

"I'll be fine a promise. Go back inside," Sakura said, making shooing motions with her hands for him to leave.

Reluctantly, the oversized man ambled back around the corner and a moment later, she heard a door swing shut, signally he had gone inside.

Sakura exhaled heavily before turning her head to look into the darkened corner beyond the dumpster.

"And just how long did you plan to hang out in this back alley Kakashi-sensei?"

The Copy nin emerged from the darkness with a chuckle, knowing she would detect him easily.

"I knew you'd be along shortly so I wasn't planning on making a day of this," he said, his lips quirking into a smile under his mask as his student eyed him skeptically.

"You said to have this here by four and that's hours from now. What if I hadn't delivered it until then?"

"But you didn't," Kakashi said, his tone clearly amused.

Sakura on the other hand was a little exasperated.

"Yeah but what if—"

"Sakura, I know you too well to think you would wait until minutes before the deadline. I estimated the time you would get here and wasn't too far off."

The kunoichi crossed her arms in a pose that said she was clearly unimpressed.

"I could have been unavoidably detained."

"But you weren't."

Sakura rolled her eyes at her partner's annoyingly accurate retort. 'What ifs' didn't seem to matter to him at the moment so she might as well deliver what she needed and get back inside before her hair started frizzing."

"The list is in the smaller bag," she informed him. "It's in a separate Ziploc so that should save you from sifting through all of it."

She was about to leave when she suddenly remembered something she had wanted to give him.

"Here," she said, reaching into her pocket and extracting a wad of bills. "Even if you can't find a nicer place to stay, this will at least get you some decent food, assuming this town even provides that."

Kakashi eyed the clump of dirty bills, knowing full well she had earned them during last night's performance.

It was nice of her to offer but he wasn't one for accepting charity. He was known for taking off and leaving his friends with the bill from time to time but this was a different matter. She had earned that money and from the looks of her outfit, she needed the cash more than he did.

"Sakura, I can't accept that," he said gently, making no move to take the money from her outstretched hand. "It's your money you worked for."

"It's not just mine. It's funding for this mission," she argued. "Just take it."

"Sakura, I shouldn't—"

The kunoichi was clearly growing irritated with him.

"Look, we're partners aren't we? This money belongs to both of us. Take. It."

Kakashi still looked hesitant so she added in a gentler voice, "Please, I want you to have it."

The taller man sighed and took the money as if the whole thing was more trouble than it was worth.

Sakura smiled, partly because she had won the fight.

"Well, I had better go. Let me know if you find out anything from that list."

Kakashi nodded but made no move towards the dumpster. Instead, he was eyeing her thoughtfully, making her suddenly feel a little self conscious. She was still dressed in Jitsu's ratty jeans and she wondered why she should care what Kakashi thought of her outfit. Nonetheless, she found that she was.

"What?" she finally blurted out when she couldn't take the intensity of his gaze anymore, shifting her feet uncomfortably.

A lazy smile formed on his lips beneath his mask as he met her green eyes with his solitary black one.

"I was just remembering how good you look in pink."

Sakura's lips parted in a gasp as she realized just what particular pink outfit he was talking about, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment as she tried to resist the urge to punch him. He would just dodge it anyhow.

"If you utter a word about any of my performances back in Konoha, you'll be very sorry," she growled, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Kakashi said, and although his reply seemed flippant, the look in his eye told her he was sincere and she relaxed a little, knowing she shouldn't get so worked up by his teasing. It was just that he was so damned good at pushing all the right buttons. She supposed he got some sort of amusement at riling her up. If she didn't react so easily, he would probably just stop.

"Yeah well, hopefully I can wear something else tonight," she grumbled. "You may like pink but I hate it."

She turned on her heel, heading back the way she had come but Kakashi called out to her quietly before he even had the chance to quell his own words.

"Sakura," he said and she slowed and finally turned to look over her shoulder. "You did well last night. I was impressed with your performance so keep up the good work."

Those words may not have meant quite so much coming from any other sensei who was generous with their compliments, but coming from Kakashi who tended to be a bit more sparing with his words of encouragement, Sakura felt her heart swell a little with what she guessed to be pride and had to carefully school her features to keep them from forming a large and undoubtedly silly grin.

"Really?" she ventured, her smile bright and hopeful and Kakashi found himself smiling in response although he doubted she could see it under his mask.

"Really. Although I must say you gave me a little scare when you tripped that first time."

Sakura groaned, pressing her palm to her forehead dramatically.

"Just so you know, high heels were created by the devil," she said, dropping her hand and giving him a pointed glance. "They should teach you how to walk in those things at the academy. Mastering that has got to be harder than some of their beginning jutsus."

Kakashi chuckled but said no more and the silence between them stretched until it started to become awkward.

"Well," she said at last. "I'll see you tonight?"

The Copy nin nodded. "I'll see you tonight."

But instead of leaving, she's seemed to hesitate a moment longer as if she had something else to say, and Kakashi was on the verge of telling her to spit it out before she finally turned and disappeared behind the corner and back into the building.

He stared after her only a moment before getting back to the task on hand. Using a kunai, he easily slit the plastic bag she said had contained the list and with minimal rummaging, he found what he was looking for among empty instant oatmeal packets and old coffee grounds. It was a good thing she had put it in its own plastic bag.

He wiped it off the best he could before pocketing it leaving the alley, walking casually back to his hotel room. On the way, he couldn't help but wonder what made him say those things to Sakura that could be either flattering or infuriated but more often than not, laced with innuendo. Their relationship had been slowly evolving towards a friendship since they had reformed Team Seven upon Sasuke's return, but now that it was just the two of them, he found himself saying things to her he wouldn't usually say and probably weren't entirely appropriate. But if she wanted him to stop, she made no indication besides quietly blushing which he personally found adorable. She was pretty when she was composed but seeing her flustered was intriguing too. He was probably overstepping his boundaries just a little but hell, boundaries had been thrown into the wind the second they were assigned a mission what required him seeing his student half naked. Perhaps that's why his mind kept picturing her scantily clad body. The boundaries that normally separated the business from the personal had become more blurred than they had ever been on any other mission he had had with Sakura. If that was the case he would have to be careful in how he conducted himself. Being her friend was fine, finding her attractive was fine, but finding himself wanting to steal her away from all the eyes on her and keeping her naked body all to himself was most certainly not proper behavior between two shinobi on a mission.

However, he had been surprised with himself when he had zoned out in the middle of their conversation, thinking how pretty she looked today even if she was devoid of all the make up she had been wearing last night and she was wearing what seemed to be clothes on the verge of becoming rags. When she had been his student at the age of twelve, he had noted that she had a pretty face and exotic features, but now, he realized she had grown to be quite striking without the help of hairspray or mascara. He supposed that was simply another side effect of viewing her as a woman instead of a girl.

Those tight pants she had been wearing hadn't been so bad though. After all, there had been a hole high up on her left thigh about two inches in diameter that displayed the pale curve of her ass rather nicely.

Kakashi shook his head in irritation. She really needed to get some clothes that fit and that weren't falling apart for both their sakes. Perhaps he would pass by some of the less expensive clothing shops if he had any time left after researching the names on his list. From the looks of it, Dajaku's girls only wore their nicest clothing when they made a show of taking it off and there was something just wrong about that. He hadn't asked how much Sakura had made in tips last night but hopefully it had been enough to buy her something decent and if not, perhaps he could scrounge up a thing or two with the cash he had given her that didn't leave her ass exposed to the breeze.

The moment he thought it, he instantly debated whether that was such a bad thing, and that in itself proved that Kakashi had a problem on his hands.

XXXXX

Sakura walked back up the stairs to her room, a strange mixture of annoyance and elation stirring within her. His words of praise made her feel giddy because during most of Team Seven's practices, it was Naruto and Sasuke getting all the attention, leaving Sakura to feel like she was trailing behind them once more. However, her team leader also had a way of getting under her skin and he had been doing it more so since the start of their mission. It was probably because he had nobody else around to annoy so she was forced to bare the brunt of his pestering. And yet, she couldn't help but feel like the dynamic between them had changed, leaving her to feel around tentatively until she could figure out exactly where these new lines between them were drawn. She didn't exactly mind the shift in their relationship, for in this strange place, it was nice to have the attention of a familiar male who wasn't solely out for a piece of her ass, but then, at the end of the day, he was still her teacher wasn't he? And she couldn't help shake the feeling that this was not how a teacher and student should act.

Her thoughts were interrupted by quiet sniffles coming from the room across from hers. It sounded like someone was crying.

Concerned, Sakura knocked softly on the door and there was a moment of silence before a shaky voice told her to come in.

The kunoichi entered to find Jitsu sitting cross legged on her bed, hugging her pillow to her chest which by now looked to be slightly soggy with her tears. Her eyes were red but her face lacked the puffiness that Sakura always seemed to get whenever she cried. Even in her tears, Jitsu was still beautiful while Sakura thought that when it was herself who was crying, she often emerged looking strikingly similar to a troll. Life was so unfair sometimes.

"Jitsu. What's the matter?" she asked softly, immediately taking a seat by the weeping girl and slinging a comforting arm around her shoulders. She could feel the girl tense at her touch but gradually began to relax as she ran a hand soothingly up and down her back, giving her time to gather her words if she chose to answer at all.

One glance around the room told her that Jitsu lived in it alone. There were two bunk beds just like in hers but the only bed that looked recently slept in was Jitsu's, although, there seemed to be an awful lot of stuff in here for just one girl, at least compared with the meager possessions of the others. However, a picture on the only shelf in the room which was hardly more than a crude wooden board nailed to the wall portrayed two smiling girls all done up and obviously ready to dance. One of the girls was Jitsu, and while Sakura didn't know who the other one was, she found her strangely familiar, knowing she had seen that bright smile somewhere before.

"I-I'm sorry," the brown haired girl finally managed through her tears. "I didn't mean to bother you."

"Don't be silly," Sakura said, more concerned about her wellbeing than anything else at the moment. "Is everything alright?"

One glance at the poor girl made it obvious that things were far from "alright" but Sakura wasn't about to pressure her into telling her something if she really didn't want to.

"I-it's just t-that I…I'm…"

Jitsu wiped at her runny nose with the back of her hand.

"Hana, I'm so scared!"

Sakura wasn't exactly prepared for the sniffling girl to launch herself at her, wrapping her arms around her tightly as if she was hanging on for dear life. Her tears had started anew and she could feel them soaking into her shirt, not that it mattered much considering it wasn't her shirt to begin with.

Gently, the kunoichi returned the embrace, rubbing her back soothingly as she did her best to ease the girl's pain.

"Why are you scared," she said gently, combing her fingers through loose strands of mousy brown hair.

"B-because someone else i-is going to disappear. I just know it!" Jitsu cried, sobbing harder into Sakura's already soggy chest.

The pink haired woman tried to calm her even though she knew she was probably right.

"Jitsu, you don't know for sure that—"

"He was never caught, the kidnapper was never caught…" she sniffled miserably. "But Dajaku hasn't done much to catch him. It's only a matter of time before he comes again."

Sakura desperately wanted to tell the trembling woman that her boss had done more than she imagined, her presence in the club being the very proof, but of course, she couldn't say a word about it and tried to conjure up other reassuring phrases when Jitsu continued through her tears.

"They took Aiya, they took her away even though I told her I wouldn't let anything happen to her. She was my best friend and I couldn't even protect her."

Aiya…why did that name sound so familiar. Sakura lifted her gaze to stare at the picture once more until the answer came to her. The girl smiling next to Jitsu was the same dancer she had seen in the picture on Dajaku's desk upon her arrival. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. This room was so full of stuff because half of it was probably Aiya's. The girls had been room mates and had obviously been very close and Jitsu still hadn't gotten over the loss. Sakura couldn't blame her for she too knew what it was like to have someone important to you disappear from your life. Her heart had ached for months at the mere thought of Sasuke who had left her unconscious and alone after her pitiful attempts to stop him from leaving. Hell, it ached right up to the day that he came back to Konoha, and now that he was home, her chest constricted for different reasons. Every look she gave him was full of warmth and affection but the ones he returned were always cold. Apparently absence did not always make the heart grow fonder, at least not in Sasuke's case.

But all that had little to do with the girl sobbing in her arms.

"It's not too late to catch the kidnapper," she assured softly. "And maybe we'll find all the girls who were kidnapped, including Aiya and we can bring them all back here and—"

The brunette who had been sniffling had suddenly gone very quiet and still and Sakura half hoped that her words had cheered her up but when the smaller girl raised her head, she was surprised to see anger in her hazel eyes.

"Hana, you don't have to make up stories like I'm a little kid," she whispered fiercely and Sakura was reminded of the same passion she had shown when she stated that she clearly refused to give lap dances to any of Wet Dream's customers. "I know Aiya isn't coming back and I've accepted that even though it hurts. I'd rather you give me a shoulder to cry on than feed me false hopes."

The kunoichi was taken aback. Her words held such strength despite her vulnerable, tear-stained face. She had always pegged Jitsu as being the quiet though slightly juvenile one but it appeared that nobody was allowed to stay innocent in their profession, both shinobi and strippers had it ripped away as their eyes were opened to the true cruelty of the world.

"Jitsu, I'm sorry," Sakura whispered truthfully. "I shouldn't have made everything out to be ok when clearly it's not."

The brown haired girl sighed, untangling herself from Sakura's arms to sit on the edge of the bed. She looked frail and weak but Sakura now knew she harbored an inner strength.

"It's fine," she sighed. "You didn't know the situation. But I know by now the way the world works. Too many bad things have happened for me to believe in fairy tales anymore."

Sakura had to swallow the lump in her throat. Somehow her words struck a little too close to home. Her fairy tale had been Sasuke, and even now she wasn't sure if she had given up on him and yet this girl was already crushed and broken at an age where she should still be full of hopes and dreams.

"Bad things…" Sakura echoed absently. Lord knew she had encountered plenty of those.

"Yeah," Jitsu said, mistaking her response for the need for clarification. "I was born to have bad luck. My mother died giving birth to me so right then I should have known nothing would ever be easy."

"Oh Jitsu, I'm so sorry."

Jitsu shrugged again, her hands folded quietly in her lap. Her eyes were cast down to the floor but she continued talking.

"My father was a gambler, had been for as long as I could remember. Only problem was, he wasn't very good at it."

Sakura refrained from shaking her head sadly. She knew people like that too. It was a wonder how her ample chested shishou had avoided her own debt collectors for so long.

"We were in debt our whole lives and had to move a lot because of it," Jitsu continued. "I was his only child and I supposed he loved me to some extent. He was just never really the type to show it."

A moment of silence passed between them and Sakura was just beginning to wonder whether the girl meant to go on when she opened her mouth again.

"Dad racked up debt everywhere he went, even though he knew he couldn't pay what he already owed. It was only a matter of time before somebody he had lost to found him. I was six years old when he was murdered. After that, I had nothing."

Sakura said nothing, for she couldn't find the words. All of these girls had pasts that were so tragic. She wondered how they managed to get up every day.

"The group of men who killed him took me as compensation. They…did things to me, and made me do things to them. I was six…six! What kind of monster wants to do something like that to a child?"

She was shaking again, her eyes shiny and brimming with tears but her fists were clenched in anger.

"I hate men. I hate all of them, even Dajaku sometimes but I guess I should be grateful for the roof over my head. But things are different now. I am in control of who touches me and I refuse to let any of them lay their hands on me. Someday I'm going to leave here when I have the money and I don't care if it takes me forever to earn it. I will not give lap dances to those pigs…to those…"

Her voice was trembling too much for her to finish and at last she closed her eyes and let the tears spill down her cheeks. Sakura was truly at a loss. What the hell did you say in response to something like that? That not all men were bad? Visions of her smiling friends, of Naruto, Sai, Sasuke…of Kakashi lifting a hand in a lazy greeting, of Kakashi slouching against the nearest tree with his book in hand, of Kakashi fighting tooth and nail to defend her when she was a much less experienced fighter…Kakashi right after a shower, silver hair still damp and his scarred torso exposed for her to see.

Sakura blinked in surprise, abruptly clearing away the thoughts that were not at all appropriate at a time like this, or ever for that matter. The point was, not all men were bad and she had the pleasure of knowing quite a few that proved that, but what could she say to this girl who had never experienced a man looking at her with a friendly smile?

Overcome with sadness for her, Sakura leaned over and scooped her into a tight embrace, earning a soft squeak of surprise from the unprepared girl.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Sakura said fiercely. "Not you, not anyone. I promise."

And though Jitsu probably thought it was just an empty promise made by a girl who had no more power to protect than she herself did, she had no idea just how much Sakura meant each and every word.

XXXXX

The club was crowded just as it had been the night before, the air thrumming with the base beat of the music as Sakura rubbed up against her pole sensuously, feeling the cool metal against her back.

Today's outfit wasn't quite so horrendous considering her tiny tube top and G-string were simple black. Her tube top, while it seemed to cover more, actually wasn't much better considering it was only a few inches wide and consisted of crisscrossing strings across her back and between her breasts. She figured it didn't really matter how much of her chest was covered considering she would be revealing it all after the next few songs, but she was still was modest enough to feel uncomfortable in such revealing clothes.

After her chat with Jitsu, things had gone on as normal, the girl putting on her usual shy smile and acting as if nothing had taken place, but as Sakura stole a glance over at the brown haired girl grinding against the floor as if she lived for it, she remembered how she had said she hated undressing and writhing for men night after night. She supposed all the girls here did except for maybe Tsurenai and Kitsune. Unfortunately, if Jitsu hoped to ever save enough to get away from this place and start a new life for herself, it was what she would have to do. But from the act she was putting on, Sakura guessed she probably had every guy in the room fooled into thinking that with a little cash, they could get her to do anything for them.

Sakura hooked a high heeled shoe around her pole and pulled herself up, risking splaying her legs wide in the splits, knowing the pole would cover what was really important. The act earned her many more approving stares from eyes that weren't already glued to her and she got even more when she wrapped her legs tight around the pole and let go with her hands, hanging suspended for a moment until her hands touched the ground and she was able to dismount in a graceful handstand.

It was only her second night dancing and already her skills had noticeably improved, although she was still quite shy when compared to the other girls, but the men that watched her hungrily seemed to find her coy smiles and timidness just as alluring, for tonight the money was coming in even faster than before.

She swiveled her hips in small figure eights that gradually gained size, unsure whether she was pleased or disgusted with the way their dark eyes followed her movements. She tangled her fingers her in loose pink strands which she wore long and straight, courtesy of Kitsune and her flat iron and noted that a grizzly and gruff man in the front row who looked like he ate whole chickens for breakfast licked his lips at her provocatively.

Unnerved, Sakura turned away and gracefully dropped to her knees, crawling along the opposite edge of the platform and allowing the men that could reach to slip money into her G-string. Her eyes scanned the faces before her, trying to see if there were any she recognized from the night before when they landed on a man snapping a crisp bill in front of her, a man wearing a cap over his hair and a scarf over his face.

Kakashi.

It was the first time she had spotted him this evening and he was obviously trying to get her attention while being discreet. The way he snapped the bill brought her attention to the paper and she could see there was something written on it in his sloppy chicken scratch but she couldn't quite make it out.

Mustering her courage, Sakura crawled towards him and rose up on her knees at the very edge of the stage, meeting his gaze evenly with what she hoped was a sultry smile. She wanted to make it look like she was just doing a little extra flirting in payment for the large sum of money he was offering her. She needed to read what was on that bill, but it was too messy for her to decipher from that distance.

In an uncharacteristically bold move, she cupped her breasts in both hands and pressed them together, deepening her cleavage as she leaned forward to make it clear exactly where she wanted him to deposit the bill.

Kakashi reached towards her, slowly tucking the bill between her breasts and angling it so she could read it easily before the majority of it disappeared into her top.

Third to your left, gray jacket.

Sakura's eyes immediately lifted to scan the crowd and easily found the man Kakashi had mentioned. One glance at him told her he was a shinobi, although a less informed person who knew nothing about the ninja profession would not have been able to pick him out. His body structure was lean but well defined and the canvas pouch at his hip probably held kunai or shuriken or maybe even a scroll or two. He was currently staring at Misaki like a tiger on the prowl but he seemed to be wandering the floor, looking at each girl in turn as if he were perusing the merchandise at a market. She immediately disliked the vibe she got from him and could see why Kakashi had picked him out. It looked like some questioning was in order.

She gave Kakashi a flirtatious glance and resumed crawling along the edge. It seemed several men wanted the same attention she had given Kakashi but they were sorely disappointed when she rose from the floor and returned to her pole without making a bill depository out of her cleavage for anyone else.

She climbed high on her pole, pretending to put herself on display but really the high vantage point allowed her to keep tabs on her target who was now eyeing Miyabi's graceful body like she was a prime cut of meat. As the set of songs ended, all eyes turned to the main platform, waiting for Tsurenai to begin her solo. Sakura slipped into the crowd towards the man she was looking for and found him watching the stage expectantly with everyone else.

Steeling herself, she took at deep breath and approached him, very much aware that if he accepted her offer, she would have to give her first lap dance, well, her first lap dance that wasn't a practice run on her teacher.

Everyone seemed so focused the second the music started blaring and Tsurenai appeared, that only a few wandering hands found their way to her body as she pushed through the crowd but Sakura was too busy to worry about it at the moment.

"He there," she said, flashing a sultry smile and making sure to rub up against him just a little. "Looking for dance?"

The man glanced at her, annoyed that she was interrupting him when he was clearly watching the lavender haired dancer on stage but quickly did a double take when he saw that she was a dancer herself.

"We could go somewhere more private, come on, what do you say?" Sakura practically purred in his ear, hoping her pitch was close to the breathy, seductive tone Kakashi had suggested she use.

"Well…I…" the man faltered as he looked back at the stage, clearly torn between which girl to pursue.

"If you try holding out for her, you could be here all night," Sakura said, trying to make herself heard over the music. "But me, I'm right here…"

Hesitantly, she let her hand brush low on his abdomen, making the muscles tense beneath her touch. They were rock solid and defined, no doubt toned by shinobi training.

Her encouragement seemed to work because he finally relented, flashing her a lopsided smile that had a predatory edge to it and followed her as she beckoned him over to the private rooms.

Juu was on duty, standing with his arms folded in front of the doors. He looked quite intimidating but looked at Sakura kindly.

"Starting early tonight," he noted, considering that the other girls were still dancing.

Sakura shrugged before smiling coyly at her victim.

"I couldn't resist."

XXXXX

Kakashi watched the pink haired woman pull their potential subject after her towards the rooms in the back, trying not feel like he should intervene somehow and protect her. This was the very thing she had been assigned to do on this mission and it would be silly to slow their progress of finding the person behind the disappearances.

And yet, he couldn't help but feel a stab of regret in his chest. Regret that his student had to subject herself to such things?

Bullshit. You're regretting that it isn't you in there.

The thought ran through his mind before he even had a chance to stop it and it was crazy enough that it actually made him pause a moment.

He was jealous of the man getting a private dance from Sakura? Why would he think that way? It was completely unprofessional behavior.

And yet, he was well aware that a great many unprofessional thoughts had been manifesting themselves ever since this mission started.

He couldn't help but remember the way her surprisingly lush body felt against him as he coaxed her to grind on his lap and how those perky breasts felt as they brushed over his cheek, separated only by his mask and her T-shirt. She had looked fabulous in that tiny little tube top and he imagined she would look even better out of it Was she going to do the same thing to that man in there as she had done to him? Was she going to press those same flushed breasts against him only this time without any fabric covering them?

Of course she was. He had taught her too well for her to do things any different. She needed answers from this man and had been instructed to go to any length to get them, including pressing his face into her naked chest.

Perhaps she would even allow him to touch back, to caress those delightful curves in a way Kakashi never dared…

The Copy nin tried to brush the thought away. What she did in there was really none of his business as long as she got results and he was wasting time and energy worrying about it when he could be searching the club for the next prospective culprit, especially since he had come up with nothing but dead ends after spending all day researching the men on the list.

He resigned himself to a seat at the bar, ordering just a beer since he wanted his senses to remain sharp. However, even though he was supposed to be examining the faces of the men around him, his eyes kept drifting back to the door Sakura had entered.

Dammit, she made it so hard to concentrate and she wasn't even in the room! And where the hell had she learned a move like what she pulled on stage, leaning towards him with her breasts pushed together like that? Kakashi was well aware that the girls dancing at the club were undoubtedly better teachers at seducing men than he was, considering they had been doing it for a while, but he had never dreamed Sakura would be so bold as to borrow a move like that. It made him wonder what else she would be willing to try.

Kakashi shook his head at his own foolishness as he sipped at his beer, wondering just when he had become such a stupid old man.

XXXXX

Juu stepped aside and allowed her to enter the first room on the left and Sakura locked the door behind her before gesturing for the man to sit in the single chair. The kunoichi tried to slow her racing heart as butterflies danced in her stomach. After her encounter with Jitsu earlier that day she had had found herself conversing with Misaki back in their room and the blonde had given her several helpful tips concerning lap dancing as well as a rundown on the basic procedures. Sakura was extremely grateful for it now because there had been many details that Kakashi hadn't covered, things like securing payment for example.

"First things first," she said, keeping her tone low and seductive. "How are you going to pay me?"

The man fished in his pocket and withdrew a thick wad of cash that probably contained a sum of money larger than her last A-rank mission. He peeled off several bills of larger denominations and waved them at her.

"I assume this will cover it?"

Well, whatever work he did, shinobi related or not, it certainly paid well.

Sakura took the money and slipped it under the thin strap of her thong with her other tips before getting down to business; trying to remember what Kakashi and Misaki had told her, both from the mission and business perspective.

"Ok, here's the rules. You can look, but you can't touch. If you want something…specific you can ask for it for an extra fee but I have every right to say no. If your hands start to wander to places they shouldn't, I'll call in security and have you thrown out, but if you play nice, we should get along just fine."

"Fair enough," the man nodded, signaling he understood.

Well, now that the preliminaries were out of the way, she had no choice but to begin and she sincerely hoped that she didn't mess this up.

She stood before him, legs spread slightly as she began to run her hands over her body, arching into her touch as if it was the best feeling she had ever experienced. She quickly synced her rhythm with the music that was playing inside the booth as well as out in the main club although it wasn't quite so deafening in the small room.

"So, you come here often?" she began, keeping the conversation light like her blonde mentor had instructed if she got nervous, which she most definitely was.

His eyes shamelessly followed her every movement as he leaned back, clearly getting comfortable as he watched her touch herself. When her hands slid over the swell of her hips he licked his lips again, gaze fixing on the scrap of black fabric hiding the apex of her thighs.

"I stop by whenever I'm in town," he answered, his voice deep and gravelly.

"Is that so?" she asked, her hands caressing her own thighs as she fought to keep a blush from forming on her cheeks even though the intensity of his gaze was making her quite self conscious. "What brings you here this time?"

"Work," he said shortly, shifting a little as his pants no doubt became a little tighter.

It figured getting a straight answer from him wouldn't be that easy.

Sakura studied her subject as he studied her. His eyes and hair were dark and he had sharp, angular features. He certainly wasn't handsome but he wasn't ugly either. His teeth were slightly yellow and his build lean and thin and the clothing he wore was nondescript and easily forgettable. He was the sort of person you could look right at but not remember, a great asset if you were hoping to commit some crimes.

Hesitantly, she rubbed her hands up her body to cup her breasts, squeezing the lightly and letting her head fall to the side in a pleasured sigh even though she was too nervous to feel much of anything.

The man shifted in his chair again as he gave a deep growl of approval.

"That's fucking sexy."

Sakura swished her hips in response, trying to gage when a good time would be to pop the next question without it seeming like she was grilling him. She pushed her breasts together creating cleavage that was visible through the crisscrosses of her top and was about to open her mouth when he beat her to it.

"Lose the shirt."

She should have known that would be the first thing he wanted gone.

Knowing he was about to be temporarily distracted, she took the chance to strike.

"So, what kind of job would earn a big wad of cash like that? Maybe I could sign up for that kind of work," she murmured as she inched her top down teasingly. His eyes remained riveted to her chest as the black cloth hovered millimeters away from exposing rosy areola. When it became apparent she wasn't going to get on with it until she got an answer he responded.

"Shinobi missions."

Bingo.

"I see," Sakura said, acting as if she was only mildly interested as she pushed her top all the way down, letting it bunch around her navel. Rounded breasts bounced free and she was pretty sure she could have grown another head and wouldn't have looked away from her slightly hardened nipples.

"So, do you belong to a ninja village then?" she purred, advancing on him now that he was obviously less than clear headed.

"No, I freelance," he breathed as she bent over to draw his knees together before turning around and straddling him, pressing her bare back to his chest. She could feel the solid lump in his pants bump against her sensitive core and this time, couldn't stop the blazing heat from invading her face, especially when he shifted in his seat to rub against her.

"Freelancing?" she said, trying to keep her seductive voice from rising to a squeak as she felt the hot bulge run back and forth over her mound. She couldn't really shift because her rear was even more vulnerable considering only a string protected her modesty so she tried to remain calm as she began to grind in slow, wide circles.

"Ooh, baby that feels nice," he groaned, his hands coming to rest on her thighs but making no move to touch her anywhere else.

Sakura let out a breathy sigh of her own although hers was completely fabricated.

"I bet freelancing brings all kinds of interesting jobs," she murmured, bracing her hands on his knees as she began to rub a little faster.

"Yeah," he panted, the hands on her thighs urging her to grind against him harder.

She complied but apparently started moving against him a little too roughly for she heard a grunt pass his lips that sounded more pained than pleasured. She quickly assumed a gentler pace and told herself to get a grip.

"Sorry, I got carried away," she breathed, hoping she hadn't turned him off completely but it appeared he was still plenty interested because he chuckled in her ear, "Baby, you can get carried away anytime."

Instead of worrying about what that meant exactly, she struggled to think of a tactic that would extract the information she needed to know.

His breath puffing on her shoulder was warm and stale and smelled slightly of booze and despite the friction against such a sensitive part of her body, she found herself completely unaroused, although Misaki had warned her she might get turned on. She remembered how she had felt with Kakashi, all warm and tingly, though she had been thoroughly embarrassed and wondered if it had just been a fluke.

"What's your current mission?" she asked, risking being forward in hoped that he was too preoccupied to realize how nosy she was being.

"It's supposed to be top secret," he groaned heatedly, pressing her onto his erection even harder.

Well, if that's how he was going to play then it was time to switch tactics.

She stood up and turned around, one knee resting on the edge of the chair between his parted thighs while her hands braced themselves on his shoulders. Her breasts which he had found so interesting before were now dangling enticingly in front of his face.

"Are all shinobi this mysterious?" she purred as if she found it to be incredibly attractive instead of an annoying setback. She bit her lip and gazed at him from beneath sooty lashes just as Kakashi had instructed, although it was clear it wasn't her face he was looking at.

"I guess," he responded dumbly, panting heavily now. His hands had crept up onto her hips, right below the top that was still bunched around her waist but Sakura decided to let it slide considering she wanted to lower his guard as much as she could.

She could feel his ragged breath on her breasts now, a stark contrast against the room's cool air but even then, jittery nerves and careful focus on her task prevented her from feeling any sort of pleasure at all, or perhaps it was the fact that he was panting like a dog that had just run a mile.

"You act as if you have something to hide. It makes a girl curious, you know."

Her tone was playful, as if she didn't understand the implications of revealing a top secret mission, but in reality she knew exactly what she was doing.

She let one breast drag over his scruffy cheek, just as she had done with Kakashi and tried to focus more on the mechanics of the task more than the fact that she was using her body in such a way. She couldn't afford to feel shame and disgust right now so she pushed everything else from her mind except the task of loosening his tongue.

As she leaned forward to press her beasts more fully against his face, the knee between his legs slid upwards, accidentally bumping his groin but it seemed to have quite a favorable reaction considering he actually arched in his seat The kunoichi was quick to use this new knowledge to her advantage and began to grind her knee against him rhythmically, as she dragged silky breasts across his skin that was starting to dampen with perspiration.

"You're good at this," he groaned against her, his grip on her hips tightening as he flexed his pelvis against her knee.

This had been going so smooth that Sakura could hardly believe it. The man seemed to be putty in her hands, a sensation that was wholly unfamiliar to her, but she tried to use her new power as best she could.

"Does it make you want to steal me away," she whispered, watching closely for any reactions to her obviously loaded question. "I bet you'd love a whole collection of girls just like me."

"Naw, one is enough," he growled against her breasts. "And there's no need to steal you when I can have you right here."

Sakura started in surprise as she felt something hot and moist encircle one of her nipples. The bastard actually had the nerve to start sucking on her breast! The sensation sent a stab of pleasure into her belly which both excited an alarmed her for his action had shifted the balance of power. She was supposed to be in complete control of the situation and she wasn't anymore.

Abruptly, she pulled away, her breast leaving his mouth with a wet pop and she had to fight down the knee jerk reaction to rearrange his face with a chakra laden punch. Struggling to collect her composure and refrain from blowing her cover, she looked at him evenly.

"I said no touching," she said, the seductive tone gone and replaced with a frosty edge that barely concealed her anger. "Do you want me to throw you out?"

The man looked slightly taken aback, dark eyes widening before he muttered sheepishly that he didn't.

She had the power back and the ball was in her court. Perhaps she could use this to her advantage.

"Tell you what," she said, resting her forearms on her shoulders. "I'll let you stay one more song without causing a fuss but you have to tell me about your mission. You've gone and piqued my interest since you told me it's a secret."

The second the words were past her lips, she was afraid she had been too forward for he looked at her warily as if he was considering leaving of his own accord. In a desperate attempt to keep him seated, she pushed her knee forward once again, rubbing it provocatively against the tent in his pants which hadn't waned at all despite her threat.

Just when she thought he would turn her down his lips split in an amused smile, showcasing twin rows of yellowed teeth.

"You play dirty," he chuckled, hands finding their way to her hips once more. "I like it. You would make a hell of a spy."

Sakura was rather proud that she didn't tense up at his words, considering there was far more truth in them than the speaker realized.

"Well…I am dirty," she said with only a moment's awkward pause. Bedroom talk was completely foreign to her and she felt silly saying it.

"I'm in town to bump off a shinobi who double crossed his client. It seems he went and pissed off the wrong people," said in between grunts and groans as Sakura continued to work her knee between his legs.

"Really, how exciting," she smiled as if it were thrilling although inside her heart was sinking. She had become pretty adept at reading people and he was giving every indication that he was telling the truth.

"It could be worse I guess," he panted, arching into her touch. "The moron isn't a high level shinobi so once I find him, he should be easy to knock off."

"Really?" Sakura said, feigning interest. "Who did he double cross?"

"Some big shot in Rock," he grunted. "I guess he took the funds given for the mission and took off with them. It was a fair chunk of change from what I heard. Serves the guy right to…ah fuck, that feels good."

Sakura had pressed her knee hard against him, grinding in tiny circles and apparently it was something he appreciated. However, she was no longer really interested in what her customer had to say. He obviously had nothing to do with the kidnappings here.

As if on cue the song ended and Sakura pulled away, tugging her top back into position quickly.

"Well…see ya round," she said awkwardly, not exactly sure what she should do now that the lap dance was over.

"You can bet if I'm back in town I'll come looking for ya. You're one of the best I've had in a while Pinky."

Sakura turned and left before she followed her compulsion to deck him for calling her such an atrocious and unoriginal nickname. She supposed she had better get used to it though for he was undoubtedly only the first in a long line of losers she would have to interrogate. All things considered though, she thought her first lap dance had gone rather well. Hell, it could have gone a whole lot worse.

She emerged into the club's main room, leaving Mr. Tall, Dark and Dumb to get his act together on his own and found herself in the midst of a mob of men vying for Tsurenai's attention. The purple haired star was clearly loving it, taking her time in selecting her next dance partner who was probably willing to pay a small fortune for a little of her time.

At last she selected a slender man with blondish hair although it could have been light brown but under the flashing lights, it was hard to tell. Other men around her groaned in disappointment as they realized they had once again been rejected as the winner trailed after her, shooting smug looks at his fellow club patrons. He breezed by Sakura and she was surprised when he glanced over his shoulder at her, giving her an appraising look with eyes that were an unnatural yellow green.

Sakura watched them both disappear behind a door and silently wondered as she made her way back to the stage just how much money that man had offered up to get picked by the club's star dancer. She was willing to bet it would have paid the rent on her apartment for a year.

XXXXX

Kakashi watched Sakura leave the booth alone, her pink hair making her easy to spot amidst the small crowd that had gathered in the back after Tsurenai had finished her set. Her long tresses didn't look quite as sleek as they had going in and he couldn't help but wonder if the man inside had run his fingers through it as she had danced for him, although he couldn't really imagine Sakura allowing that sort of thing.

He noticed that her top was slightly crooked and his jaw clenched unconsciously at he thought of her rubbing tightened nipples against his cheek just like she had done to him. It wasn't fair for her to have to do such a thing for the sake of a mission but then again, to take up the life of a shinobi was to live a life full of unfairness.

His eyes followed her form through the crowd from his seat at the bar as she made her way back to the stage, no doubt to resume dancing and he took a long swig from his second beer, even though he told himself he would stop after one. He hadn't managed to find anyone else worth sending to Sakura yet but the night was still young and chances were some creep would show up and start looking at the girls that was a little too strange even for a strip club. But then, he would have to send them to Sakura to deal with. It seemed that in this situation, even if they won, they lost.

Kakashi took another long drag from his beer. The night was still young, but it was shaping up to be a long one.

XXXXX

Yay! Done with yet another chapter! I hoped you all enjoyed it. Please drop me a line. I love hearing from all of you!

Find me on livejournal at superduperotaku


	9. Chapter 9

The past few days at the club had been fairly uneventful, Nobody had up and disappeared but then again, none of the men Sakura had been questioning had given her a lead

Woo! Summer is in sight for me. Only three weeks of school left! Hopefully that will mean more frequent updates for you guys. Anyways, enjoy this chapter. It took me a while to write!

P.S. This story contains adult content and I don't own Naruto.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare- Chapter 9

The past few days at the club had been fairly uneventful, None of the dancers had up and disappeared but then again, none of the men Sakura had been questioning had given her a lead.

She had already given more lap dances than what she could count on her fingers and toes, her rising popularity at the club allowing her to convince just about anyone to pay the fee for a few minutes of her time. Over all, she hadn't had many mishaps and had managed to extract enough information to prove they weren't the kidnapper from every single one of them, a feat she was quite proud of, although she couldn't say the same about the methods she used to get the men to talk.

Some of her customers had begged to be allowed to touch her breasts and she had reluctantly agreed. Some touched her softly, caressing and squeezing in a way that was almost pleasant, although she had never found herself aroused beyond the slight quickening in her pulse and perhaps a mild tingling in her nipples or between her legs. Others had grabbed at her roughly, almost bruising her tender flesh and she had had to threaten to throw them out on their asses if the didn't treat her a little nicer. Other awkward moments included a man who apparently had enjoyed her services so much that he had actually climaxed right in his chair while Sakura was grinding against him and the kunoichi had to cut her act short or risk covering herself in the sticky substance that was rapidly soaking through his pants. Only one idiot had tried to sneak a hand between her legs and Sakura had promptly threatened to call in Juu and have him beat some sense into him, although she yearned to do it herself.

Playing the weak, ordinary girl was tiresome and frustrating. She could punch a hole through any of their chests with minimal effort since even the strongest of the shinobi that found their way into a booth with her weren't nearly as powerful as she was if their chakra levels were anything to go by. She was tired of relying on someone else to defend her and missed the feeling of driving her fist into something solid, of fighting, sparring, honing her kunoichi abilities. She wouldn't be surprised if her skills had lost their razor edge during her stay, considering she hadn't even summoned her chakra in almost a week and a half.

Instead, she performed nightly, growing more and more confident in her dancing and her sexuality. The traces of hesitancy and modesty were quickly fading, leaving behind a cool and mysterious seductress that seemed quite at ease with revealing her body to the eyes of perfect strangers.

Secretly, she wondered what Kakashi thought about her improvement and hoped he was proud of her.

Recently, her interactions with him were brief. They didn't talk at the club although she often saw him there, watching her silently from the back of the room. They texted back and forth about where to leave the nightly list of men who received lap dances to prevent the exchange from happening in the same place over and over and possibly become a suspicious routine.

Although Sakura was becoming closer and closer with the girls she danced with, she found she missed talking with Kakashi. He was the only one she wasn't fabricating a lie for. She could be open and honest with him because he knew who she really was and she didn't have to worry about keeping her mask in place. Sure he was perverted and never punctual and had horrible posture, not to mention an uncanny knack for knowing how to infuriate her, but he was her island of familiarity in an alien ocean and although she had become accustomed to life at Wet Dreams, she could never call this place home. She did her best to pretend that it was for a little while.

But recently her partner seemed a little distant in a way she couldn't quite explain. It wasn't like he was ignoring her but they couldn't really engage in casual conversation at the club either. Whenever they talked the exchange seemed strangely dry and a little too professional, as if she had just met him for this particular job and they hadn't known each other for over a decade. She supposed there was nothing wrong with the fact that he was no longer teasing her and giving her a hard time but in a weird way she kind of missed the way he used to ruffle her hair and make comments that held cleverly disguised innuendo.

She just wished she could find time to get away and talk with him in a place where she didn't have to constantly put on an act.

Perhaps this was why she was particularly excited when she received an early morning text saying they should meet in one of the local shops and exchange the list there. But when she saw her instructions were to nonchalantly drop the paper for him to pick up without any verbal exchange, her heart sank a little. She wanted to speak with him, not brush past him once again as if they were strangers.

The text dictated she was to be at the adult bookstore across from his motel room at one o'clock, although Sakura couldn't help but wonder if that meant two or three in Kakashi time. If he was actually on time it would be a miracle.

XXXXX

Somehow she had managed to slip away from the club undetected by the other girls. Her phone told her it was 12:50 and she hoped to be back at 1:20 at the latest and possibly avoid being lectured for going out on her own. The dancers had adopted the policy of never leaving the club alone and as a result, Sakura had been shopping for clothes, food and other necessities with at least one or two other dancers with her at all times. She had managed to expand her wardrobe with both performance and practical wear with the money she had earned but that left her no chance to meet with Kakashi. Today's meeting would be brief even though she longed to talk with him and get the details of his findings. She assumed everything had come to a dead end, otherwise she would have been informed sooner but she couldn't help but feel a little left out of the investigation since he never reported his results to her.

The weather was still cloudy but there were actually pieces of blue sky here and there and everything seemed a little less grey as sunlight shone through in dappled patches. The marketplace was even busier than normal as people left their houses to take advantage of the nice weather. Sakura blended easily into the crowd since she had wrapped a shawl she had recently bought over her bright hair, knowing Kakashi would find her regardless.

The bookstore was only a five minute walk as Sakura weaved her way expertly through the crowd and soon she found herself at the entrance. The interior was dark even though the sign on the grimy window proclaimed that the shop was open. Not sure what to expect inside, Sakura took a deep breath and entered.

The store lacked the musty smell of old books like Konoha's library had. Instead the smell was sharper, newer, like plastic and rubber and she soon saw why. Apparently this store didn't just sell books, for on a wall to her right was a large assortment of various phallic shaped devices in all colors and sizes, some realistic enough as to have artificial veins spiraling up their rubbery shafts.

Promptly turning crimson and feeling as if she had walked in on something she shouldn't have, she turned away to pick up the closest book she could find and buried her nose in it to hide the mortification burning in her cheeks. This turned out to be a very bad idea for the page she happened to flip to portrayed a very graphic color illustration of a man and a woman having sex in quite a precarious position. She considered herself fairly flexible thanks to years on training but even she wasn't sure if she could bend her body like that.

She snapped the book shut to discover she had picked up a copy of the Kama Sutra. Well that just figured didn't it?

Glancing around cautiously, she saw the few other people in the store weren't paying her the slightest bit of attention so she risked opening the book again, unable to fight the morbid curiosity she had about the realm of sex. Her finger traced over a picture that seemed like a tangle of limbs with their most intimate parts shown joined in graphic detail in the center of it all. Despite the uncomfortable looking position, both members had expressions of intense pleasure on their faces and Sakura felt something inside her stir with both curiosity and desire. Would she ever feel the way these people in the picture did? So far she experienced nothing more than a simple kiss and though she would have denied it if confronted with it, she had grown quite curious about what went on in the rooms with the beds in them back at the club. Did the girls offering that service know how to do things like this? Did they actually allow strange men to touch them this way? Sakura wasn't sure if she wanted to think about it but continued flipping through the book, eyes wide in amazement as she took in page after page of complicated sexual positions.

"I find page fifty four to be one of my favorites," a masculine voice said beside her, a voice she clearly recognized.

Sakura had to keep from jumping right out of her skin, swallowing down the surprised 'eep!' that threatened to escape her lips.

She closed the book abruptly and jammed it back into its slot on the shelf, cursing at herself for not being more aware of her surroundings and letting Kakashi catch her red handed with a sex book.

She had been longing to talk to him but now that he was here, all she wanted to do was turn tail and run rather than face him in her embarrassment.

"Hmm," was she said in the calmest voice she could manage, turning on her heel and letting the list conveniently drop from her pocket and flutter to the floor as she walked away. She sensed him bend to pick it up as she pretended to look around as if she were interested in the merchandise even though her eyes weren't really focusing on the erotica novels or illustrated sex manuals that cluttered the shelves.

She didn't even look back as she exited the shop, drawing a deep breath of air that smelled less like plastic and more like soot as she emerged onto the busy street. She glanced at her cell phone again to find she had only been gone from the club a total of twelve minutes. If she headed back now, nobody would even notice she had been gone.

"My, my, you were in a hurry to get out of there."

So much for heading back.

"Yeah well, it's not exactly my type of place," she said, turning around in exasperation, about to ask him why the hell he was talking to her when the plan that he had devised specifically stated no verbal interaction.

However, she forgot all about it when she saw he was carrying a small plastic bag with the store's name on it. He had been in the sex shop a total of five minutes and already he had bought something? The man was certainly in a class of his own.

"That didn't take you long," she said coolly, pointing at his purchase.

"Oh this?" Kakashi replied innocently through the scarf covering his face. "Something caught my interest."

"I don't even want to know," Sakura sighed, leaning against the building so she was out of the way of the people hurrying along the street.

Her partner just shrugged as if it were her loss and assumed a similar stance against the dirty brick wall. To the casual observer, it simply looked like two people just killing time and unless someone drew close enough to hear the conversation, it wasn't apparent they were even speaking to each other.

Maybe because at the moment, they currently weren't.

Kakashi had dug into his bag to retrieve his new book and surprisingly enough, it didn't look like a volume out of the Icha Icha collection. Sakura was mildly curious but didn't want him to know it so she kept her questions to herself.

A minute passed and then two and she was beginning to wonder if he was planning on just standing around reading all day. She cleared her throat, wondering why she suddenly felt awkward around a man she had been comfortable with for years.

"Uh…so…any luck with the lists?" she asked hopefully, not turning her head towards him in case they were being watched.

"Nope. None."

"Dammit," she sighed, discouraged that out of all the men all the girls had danced for, none of them had given them any clues. "And I thought that creepy guy with yellow green eyes might give us a lead. "

"Yellow eyes?" Kakashi said, his voice taking on a slightly sharper edge although his posture remained relaxed. "There was nobody who looked like that on any of the lists and trust me, I memorized the features of everyone I investigated."

Sakura frowned. That couldn't be right. She distinctly remembered seeing the man follow Tsurenai into the private booth looking smugly at the fellow patrons who hadn't been picked by the star dancer.

"But I saw him with Tsurenai," she protested. "His hair was kind of blondish and he had these strange eyes that were a really light yellowish green. I didn't think much of him at the time but when I thought back on it, he just seemed creepy somehow. I can't explain it, it's just a gut feeling."

Kakashi had been in the business far too long to be foolish enough to ignore gut feelings. It may only be a hunch but hunches had often saved his life and the fact that this man hadn't shown up on any of their lists even though he had received a dance was reason enough to check him out.

"If you saw him again at the club would you recognize him?" he asked.

"Definitely."

"Good. Next time you see him, get him in a booth."

Sakura nodded slightly and a moment of silence passed before Sakura spoke again.

"Do you think this means the lists we've been getting have been altered, that certain people have been excluded to throw us off track?"

The Copy nin had been thinking the exact same thing but he was reluctant to make any hasty conclusions.

"I don't know," he answered. "But if so, then Dajaku would have to be the one doing it which makes no sense because he's the one that wanted us here in the first place."

"Hmm," Sakura murmured in slightly bitter amusement. "Maybe I should interrogate him, although he'd probably enjoy it a little too much. He seems like the kind of guy that would want to push the boundaries, especially since he owns the club and all."

Kakashi said nothing in response and silence stretched between them once more. People continued to hustle by, oblivious to the figures leaning against the wall. Sakura was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable and though her partner was a master at concealing his emotions, a slight shift of his body against the wall told her that he was feeling a little awkward too. What happened to the teasing, the jokes, the ruffling of her bangs as if she was ten years younger than her current age? This mission was hard enough as it was without the person she felt closest to suddenly acting alienated.

"Hey," she said softly, purposely avoiding using his real name on the street. "Are you…mad at me or something?"

The question surprised Kakashi enough for him to look up from his book and turn his head. Sakura was looking at her feet as if they were suddenly very interesting and the shawl over her hair hung forward and obscured her face but he had heard the worry in her voice.

"Why would I be mad at you?" he asked, drawing his eyes back to his book to make it look like they weren't actually speaking to each other.

"I dunno," Sakura ventured softly. "But don't you think that things have somehow gotten…weird?"

Kakashi exhaled tiredly in a sigh that was more in exasperation at himself than the woman next to him. Of course things were weird. He had been seeing his student dance topless every night for over a week and worst of all, he enjoyed it. He had taught her how to give lap dances, feeling more of her lush body than he ever thought he would feel and then somehow found himself hating it whenever she pulled someone into one of the private rooms with her. That kind of behavior was not normal and as he struggled to get rid of whatever it was he was feeling, he had inadvertently distanced himself from her. It wasn't her fault that he was a dirty old man who didn't know how to control himself, but she had suffered for it anyways as he had acted a little cold when she needed his support.

But how the hell was he going to explain all of that to her? He didn't exactly want to confess that he had been avoiding her because the thought of her exquisite breasts stayed in his mind long after the shows were over. However, he needed to tell her something to clarify why he had been acting so odd.

"I'm not mad at you," he said after a thoughtful pause, trying to conjure up the right words that wouldn't frighten her or disgust her. "It's just that…it hasn't been easy for me to see you transition into your new role."

Sakura looked at him in confusion before casting her eyes back down at her feet. This conversation would be so much easier to have if she didn't have to worry about how they appeared.

"Why is that? You taught me to be like this after all."

That wasn't entirely true. Sure he had taught her to be aware of her body and sure he had coached her through a strip tease and a lap dance, but the way she spread her thighs just enough to be enticing but not trashy and the way she looked over her shoulder innocently before bending over had nothing to do with him. She had picked up more from her fellow dancers and her own experimentation than he could ever teach her. He just got her started on the right path.

"I guess it's just that I've known you since you were twelve," he said softly as he slumped in a stance with even worse posture. "You always remained that little girl in my head to some extent, but now, I have no choice but to look at you as a woman and it's still a little strange."

"So what does that mean? You feel like a pedophile when you watch me dance?" Sakura asked and although he couldn't see her lips, he could tell by her voice that she was smiling.

If only that was the way he really did feel, this situation wouldn't be so complicated.

"No, it's not that" he admitted, staring at the open book in his hand but not really seeing the words on the pages. "It's just that sometimes, I guess you seem like a stranger. You've grown up somewhere along the way and I've missed it and I'm only now noticing."

"Oh," Sakura responded, letting his words sink in. They were comforting in a way, reassuring her that his distance wasn't because of anything she had done wrong. He was simply unsure of how they should interact and perhaps she was too. She had transformed so much that even she didn't really know her true self anymore. Stripping had become a way of life and it frightened her how easily she had adjusted to it. She had never really seen herself as a woman before since she often still felt unconfident and clumsy but now, as she peeled her clothes away night after night for men who clearly thought of her as a mature and (dare she say it) sexy female, it was obvious even to herself that she was clearly an adult.

But…what did that mean for her? Sure she acted grown up as far as sexuality went, well, at least she pretended, but what about everything else. Were the changes that she had undergone during her time here actually a good thing? She needed to know.

"So…" Sakura said, speaking softly, almost timidly. "Do you like what you see now? I mean, do you like me as a woman?"

Dear god, why did she have to go and ask that question. Of course he liked her, liked her silky skin and perky breasts, liked her lean legs, liked her pouty lips and curvaceous hips and the way they swiveled in time with the music. He liked the lights reflecting off her pink hair and he liked her sultry smile and he liked when she talked and laughed and even fell out of trees because she was embarrassed enough to lose her footing. If he had liked her before as a child, he loved her as an adult.

And before that thought had the chance to completely terrify him, a shrill female cry distracted them.

"There she is! Hana! Hey Hana!"

Sakura's eyes immediately snapped towards the source of the voice and saw Tora through the crowd, frantically pushing people out of the way in an attempt to get to her with Kitsune and Misaki in tow. Judging by the expression on the bust brunette's face, she was not at all happy.

"Uh, hi guys," she smiled nervously, edging away from the wall. "What brings you here?"

Apparently Tora wasn't in the mood for small talk. She stopped inches from the kunoichi with her hands on her hips.

"Worry for you brings us here!" she said, her voice almost a shout, making Sakura wince. "You know better than to up and leave by yourself, especially without telling anyone! We were worried sick about you!"

Sakura's eyes darted to the side just in time to catch Kakashi slipping into the crowd and within moments he was indistinguishable from the ebb and flow of other nameless faces. The girls apparently hadn't noticed him at all.

"I'm sorry," Sakura said sincerely. "I planed on only being gone for a few minutes and I didn't want to bother anyone abut coming with me."

Misaki who didn't look upset so much as she did relieved to find her alright stepped forward.

"You should know by now that we'd be happy to help Hana. Don't ever think you can't come to us even if it's over something small."

Sakura slumped a little, truly feeling terrible that she had to sneak around like this.

"You're right, I'm sorry I acted on my own like that. Next time I'll make sure to bring someone with me."

Tora's anger seemed to diffuse and she sighed wearily.

"Well, at least you're ok. Let's just head back. Dajaku is probably throwing a fit by now."

Sakura nodded and fell into step as they turned around and started back towards the club.

"So, why were you out here all by yourself?" Kitsune asked, coming up next to her. "You wouldn't happen to be looking for some reading material would you?"

Sakura glanced back at the adult bookstore and knew how things must have looked. It was ironic that though her partner was addicted to reading smut, she was the one that was accused of being a closet pervert.

"No, no," Sakura shaking her head violently as her cheeks warmed with the memory of the types of books the place sold.

Kitsune smiled as if she had discovered Sakura's dirty secret.

"You know, if you had wanted some erotica, you could have just asked me. I have a few novels stashed away as long as you don't mind them being well read."

Somehow, this didn't surprise Sakura at all but that didn't stop her from growing a little stiff as she walked.

"No, that's ok," she answered a little too quickly.

"All right, suit yourself," she said with a flip of her long red ponytail. "But let me know if you change your mind."

Sakura sighed, glancing back at the bookstore she had left. Kakashi was long gone, probably back in motel room or even halfway across town by now to begin research on his new list of names.

Her mind flashed back to the moment right before they had been interrupted by the trio of worried dancers and she wondered briefly what would have happened if the girls hadn't showed up. She had asked a question she was dying to know the answer to but at the same time was a little hesitant to hear the answer. Playing with that sort of fire could make their slightly awkward relationship even worse, and yet, she was struggling to find her new identity as a sexy and confident woman and an encouraging word from him would have been helpful. But what if his words wouldn't be positive ones? What if he said she was exactly the same girl he had known before except now she packed a bigger punch in her fist and stripped in front of an audience?

Somehow, she didn't want to be the same old Sakura who couldn't have attracted a boy if her life depended on it. She wanted to be cool and mysterious and mature. She wanted to command attention with her sex appeal like so many of the other dancers did, although once she had the attention, she wasn't sure she would know what to do with it.

She supposed she wanted Sasuke's opinion more than anyone else's, wanted him to tell her she was beautiful and breathtaking. But he wasn't here and Kakashi was someone she trusted, someone she knew would tell her the truth if she asked.

He had slipped away for the time being, depriving her of an answer and she couldn't be sure whether she was disappointed or relieved.

XXXXX

Sakura put the finishing touches on her makeup for the night's performance. By now she had become quite good at applying cosmetics on her own and had transformed her eyes with thick black eyeliner and shadow, making them look dark and seductive and had painted her lips a glamorous shade of crimson that matched the outfit she had just bought. It was a little more money than what she should have been spending but the rhinestones that adorned the waistline of the skimpy thong bottoms and the straps that fastened at her back and neck had called to her. She had been making decent money anyway and had even found matching heels that laced up her legs in a criss cross pattern to go with her outfit. It hadn't helped that Misaki had squealed in the store when Sakura had held up the tiny garments and the blonde practically insisted that she purchase them.

She was glad she had, for as she looked back at herself in her make up mirror, she felt sexy, her long pink hair falling in loose waves thanks to sleeping with her hair in a braid. It looked tousled and natural but still attractive and her ruby lipstick contrasted nicely with her jade eyes.

The embarrassment she felt from wearing such outfits had dwindled night by night until she felt as comfortable as everybody else in them and as her mortification lessened, her dancing grew bolder as well. She was aware of the change in herself but didn't really dwell on it. She had been quite innocent before this mission but that was no longer the case. She could use her body as a tool in her profession and had become quite good at it. She had learned things about the male body she had never read in any of her medical books, like what parts were sensitive and how she could make their minds blank if she touched them just right. She wasn't sure whether to be proud of mastering these skills or ashamed so she decided not to think about it at all. She was simply doing what needed to be done for the mission. That was a kunoichi's job.

She was broken out of her thoughts by Kitsune appearing in the mirror over her shoulder, looking equally ravishing in a deep violet top and bottom with gold embroidering. She had bought it the same time as Sakura had bough her current outfit and she had to admit, Kitsune was a knockout. Her red hair was pulled into a high pony tail and her eyes were circled with subtle, shimmering gold and then rimmed with dark kohl. Her black stilettos were at least 4 inches but she moved gracefully as if she were floating. Sakura was so busy admiring her that she didn't notice the books in the redhead's hands until she offered them to her.

"Here," she said with a knowing smile. "I didn't see you purchase anything at the store so I figured you could use some new reading material. Take your time with them. These are the best ones out of my stash so make sure you enjoy them."

Sakura flipped open a book randomly. They were indeed well worn as if they had been read many times and reminded her of Kakashi's Icha Icha books. It seemed her partner and the redhead had quite a bit in common. Maybe Kitsune should single him out and talk about porn while she danced for him.

The thought was so absurd that she almost giggled aloud but instead she fought down her smiles and managed a simple thanks, not wanted to offend her friend for what she supposed was a thoughtful gesture.

She slipped the books into the drawer of her dressing table just as Dajaku poked his head in to tell them they had five minutes to show time.

She sighed and straightened the garter she had taken to wearing since she was making enough tips that it wouldn't all fit under her thong straps anymore.

Hopefully tonight would be the night where she actually made some progress on this mission. She was tired of dancing and interrogating night after night and knowing no more than when she had first arrived. She wanted results and now that she was a little more experienced at the game of seduction, she was prepared to go out and do what was needed to get them.

XXXXX

Kakashi watched as Sakura made her way onto the stage, instantly transfixed by the sight of her in the hot little red number she was wearing. And dear god those shoes! They were the things wet dreams were made of…his own, not the club.

When comparing her as she was now to when she had first started, it was easy to see the changes that had taken place. Gone was the Sakura that was so easily flustered with the briefest mention of sexual subjects, although she still blushed on occasion which he found quite cute, but the way she worked the pole and now even the floor was so deeply sexual that it was hard to imagine she had ever been embarrassed about it at all.

His point was proven as she hooked her leg around the silvery pole and began to grind her hips against it as if it were a man in her bed. The angle his seat gave him allowed the Copy nin to see that her crotch was indeed rubbing up and down on the pole and it wasn't just an act. He wondered if it felt good, if the cool metal against her hot flesh made goose bumps break out on her skin the way they had when he had touched her back at the inn. He supposed it was all just part of the show and she was simply trying to entice anyone she could in case they became her next target to question.

That didn't change the fact that he found himself being rather enticed as well.

And what was worse was he might have to take advantage of the privacy of the booths in the back since he had some news to tell her and now that she was so popular in the club, couldn't risk stealing her away into the bathroom again.

At least she wouldn't have to actually dance for him. They would exchange the words they needed and wait inside the reasonable amount of time before emerging and nobody would know that he had actually been talking with her instead of receiving a lap dance.

But if it was all so simple, than why did he have knots of dread in his stomach interwoven with butterflies dancing around in what he assumed to be excitement?

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Sakura had never been one to get off on power trips. She had never had a thirst to be in control of anyone but herself, but as she gyrated sensually against her pole and looked out at the sea of faces that seemed captivated with her every movement, she found that she was definitely getting a little high off the experience. The disgust she felt for putting her body on display had melted away relatively quickly considering she did it every night and every woman around her did too. It was normal. It was a living, and she found herself rather proud of her tight and toned body since every man in the room seemed to find it so desirable.

It was true that once Tsurenai came on, half her admirers drifted off to gaze at her instead, but that was to be expected. After all, if they could watch a woman take off all her clothes and dance for them, why would they pay attention to her who was only displaying half the goods? It didn't really affect her mission much considering the men she approached usually consented to a lap dance since they knew they couldn't afford Tsurenai anyway. Even so, she felt a bit of petty jealousy well up inside her at all the attention the purple haired dancer was getting. Sakura wouldn't expose herself the way she did, peeling off her panties and then bending over to show off her most private of parts, but it was just that Tsurenai was literally the desire of every man and that must be an incredible feeling. Sakura wondered bitterly if Sasuke would ever go for a woman like the diva over herself and figured he probably would. He probably wouldn't find her annoying or brush her off dismissively. Maybe with a little more practice she could become just as sexy and then, maybe once she returned to Konoha, she could have Sasuke eating out of the palm of her hand.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a greasy man with a nasty scar along his jaw hooting at her rudely.

"Hey baby, you wanna come ride my pole?"

His comment was instantly followed by laughing and backslapping by who she assumed to be his friends. From the looks of them, they weren't even low class shinobi, just dimwitted thugs and she answered by pulling herself up onto her pole and flipping upside down, letting her legs fall open in a perfect split position as she held herself up with her arms.

Ignoring the man that had propositioned her completely, she bent her legs until the toes of her back leg touched the back of her head, proving her spine was much more flexible than the average woman.

She spiraled down the pole gracefully, holding the position until she unwound at the floor and began to crawl forward on her hands and knees, looking like a tigress on the prowl for her next meal.

Her eyes scanned the crowd as she raised herself up on splayed knees and rubbed her hands up and down her sides, keeping an eye open for anyone suspicious but all she found were endless pairs of hungry eyes and none of them were the odd shade of yellow green she had been hoping for.

Ever since she had discovered that the man had escaped their suspects list, she was determined to get him alone and question him extensively, but as far as she could tell, he didn't seem to be here tonight.

The song ended and she stood gracefully and made her way back to the pole as a new beat began, slow and strong and sensual and she took advantage by moving her hips in wide circles in time with the music.

She wondered if it would be easier to just let herself get lost in the music like some of her fellow dancers had suggested, but since she had to constantly stay on alert, it wasn't an option for her. She let the music thrum through her and let the beat move her body, but she could not succumb to it completely. However, the more she danced, the less she seemed to mind being up on the stage, exploiting herself. This mission had awakened her to her own sexuality, something she had doubted she had even possessed and now she was discovering that it could be quite potent if she wished it. She was no longer like Tora who loathed every second she had to spend dancing and she wondered if she might become as bad as Kitsune who seemed to love the power she possessed over men. Perhaps there was an inner pervert in her after all.

She ascended her pole again, thighs clenching around it tightly and gazed at the men spread out over the club, some talking with friends or smoking or having drinks at the bar but many of them had their eyes fixed on one dancer or another and even at the far corners of the room, she could sense burning gazes that were directed on her.

And there was one particular gaze that stood out among the rest, a gaze that came from only one eye because the other was covered by an eye patch.

Kakashi was standing in the crowd, watching her raptly. He wasn't in the first row but a couple rows back but from her higher vantage point on her pole, she picked him out easily. Once he knew for sure she was watching him, he jerked his head subtly towards the booths and she knew immediately what he wanted.

A lap dance.

No, that was silly. He probably just wanted to speak with her privately about something where nobody else would overhear. Even so, the memory of the last and only dance she had given her ex sensei made her feel more tingly than most of the dances she currently gave, even in their most steamy and sensual moments.

She slid down the pole in an elegant corkscrew and turned to face Kakashi. Her sultry smile was directed at him although it could have been meant for anyone as she shimmied her shoulders a little, causing her small breasts to bounce with the movement. While it certainly earned her a few extra tips, the action held special meaning, showing her partner she had understood. She had not forgotten his teasing request for her to signal him by shimmying and now that she was brave enough to do it, she had followed through.

The Copy nin walked away, slipping back into the crowd but she knew once this set of songs ended, he would find her.

Her mind once again drifted back to their conversation in front of the book store and she wondered just how he would have responded if they hadn't been so inconveniently interrupted. For some reason she found herself caring quite a lot about how Kakashi viewed her. Maybe that was because Kakashi was more than a little experienced when it came to women and if someone like him found her sexy and appealing, that she would have a much better chance winning over Sasuke. At least that's what she kept telling herself.

She continued her sensual bump and grind both on and off the pole under the club's flashing lights until the music finished and the second set of dancers came to join them on stage.

Sakura slipped into the crowd, waving off the numerous propositions immediately offered to her until she found Kakashi at the bar, watching her intently as she made her way towards him.

She came up close and leaned in to speak into his ear to make herself heard over the pounding music.

"Want a dance sugar?" she asked, trying to hold back her nervous giggles at the fact she was asking if her own teacher wanted a lap dance.

"I'd love one," he rumbled back and for some reason, the low register of his voice sent little shivers down her spine.

She dismissed it as simple jitters and gently took his hand in hers and led him to the private rooms that Juu was guarding, meaty arms crossed in an intimidating stance. However, his warm smile ruined the image.

"First one of the night?" Juu asked and Sakura nodded as she watched Kitsune who had already found a man as well, enter the booth on the far right, the one with a bed.

"You're a lucky man sir." The bouncer chuckled. "Treat her nice and we won't have any problems."

"Of course." Kakashi said as Sakura led him into one of the center rooms, ushering him inside before locking the door behind her.

"Sit," she ordered and he obeyed, easing his long limbs into the single chair in the room.

"So, what is this about," she asked, turning to face him as she began to sway her hips in time to the music playing. He unwound the scarf over his face, revealing the mask he still wore underneath as she walked close to him so she wouldn't have to speak loudly and risk anyone overhearing.

"You don't have to do that," Kakashi said, although he found his eyes following the movements of her supple body. She looked so damn good in red and he supposed that's why she had worn it most of her life, but this outfit was something else. He supposed the top must be giving her breasts a lift because he didn't think they were that big but he wasn't exactly complaining. Her breasts and everything else for that matter, looked fabulous.

"There's a window in the door," Sakura breathed, bending at the waist to rests her hands on his knees while her hips continued to sway lazily. "It's not big and I've never seen anybody look through them but we should play it safe just in case."

Kakashi looked behind her to discover that there was indeed a window although it was only about two inches by four inches and the glass looked slightly tinted. He figured it was for the bouncers to look in and make sure everything was going all right if they suspected the girls could be in trouble. He didn't know why he had missed a detail like that before.

"Alright, fine," he said, a sense of both elation and panic filling him. His dreams had been filled with fleeting glimpses of having Sakura grinding in his lap again, her body no longer covered with an oversized T-shirt, but he had always assumed the vision would remain just a dream. Now here he was, faced with the dilemma of keeping his body and mind in check while his appetizing partner gave him a lap dance in an amazingly sexy outfit.

"So what did you want to tell me," Sakura asked, trying to remain businesslike although she was currently bent at a ninety degree angle with her rear swaying in the air provocatively. "I doubt you came here just for a dance."

She had meant for it to be a joke, something to lighten the tension she was feeling but Kakashi did not laugh. His visible eye seemed to darken even more but not with anger.

"I was able to check about three quarters of the list you gave me today," he said, trying to keep his eyes on her face instead of her limber body. "And I discovered that one of them has a history of abusing women."

"Really?" Sakura said, reaching up to discard the hat he was wearing that shaded his face. She let him keep the eye patch in place but she didn't want him to be any harder to read than he already was with that damn mask of his.

She straightened and walked around behind him, her red stilettos clicking on the concrete floor. She let her hand drop to his shoulder and creep down his chest as she bent to whisper in his ear. "Is he here tonight?"

Kakashi felt heat spike through his body as her warm breath tickled his ear and her fingernails dragged over the brown cotton shirt he was wearing.

"My sources tell me he's already left town," he said, his voice growing a little raspier. "But I've been keeping an eye out for him tonight, just in case. I have the bar tenders at other clubs watching for him too in case he stops by."

Sakura was mildly impressed, wondering how he had managed to find "sources" so quickly and get the bartenders to cooperate with him.

"Hmm," Sakura mused, "What exactly did he do?"

Her heart was palpitating rapidly in her chest like the fluttering of tiny wings and she hoped Kakashi couldn't feel it as she pressed against him. She wanted to appear calm and collected, not like the giddy lovesick girl she had once been, although now she wasn't giddy, just incredibly nervous and feeling like she was a little in over her head. It was just Kakashi after all, it's not like he was expecting anything of her but for some reason she wanted to impress him and show him that she had become quite capable behind closed doors.

"I guess he's roughed up a stripper on more than one occasion. Apparently he paid for a dance and was expecting more than that and when they didn't deliver, he took his anger out on them. I heard he also would call services for house visits and apparently he likes to play a little rougher than most of the girls can handle."

"Pig," Sakura spat bitterly, imagining that if a guy tried that with her, she would rearrange his face even if it blew her cover. There was no way she would tolerate some man treating her like his personal toy.

Kakashi felt her nails dig into his chest a little deeper in her anger but for some reason the slight pain only brought another pleasurable flash of heat.

"Agreed," he said, somehow managing to keep his breath from catching as her barely clothed breasts pressed against his shoulders, feeling her body heat even through the thick long sleeved shirt he wore. "But if he's already left town than he's no longer a threat. I just want to see if I can establish if he was around when the last girl went missing."

"Good plan," Sakura said, her breath tickling his ear. "I just wish that guy who wasn't on the list would show up again so we could check him out too."

She pulled away, leaving Kakashi missing the feel of her soft flesh and heat but that was quickly fixed when she reappeared in front of him and drew his knees together so she could sit on his lap facing away from him. Kakashi immediately felt something dangerous stirring low in his abdomen and was certain that even with carefully cultivated self control, he wouldn't be able to keep his body from responding for long.

"Sakura, you don't have to…"

"Shh, it's fine," Sakura rasped as she began to swivel her hips in gentle figure eights, the paper bills stuffed into her garter and thong straps rustling quietly.

The entire time they had been talking, she had been doing her best to focus on the mission, but her curiosity had been nagging her, threatening to send her off track. She was damn curious about what her sensei thought of her, not to mention her mind kept looping the scene of him touching her in front of the mirror that night over and over. He had made her feel so good with seemingly little effort and she hadn't felt like that since. She had been pawed and groped continuously by endless men but none of them had made her feel anything like that. This mission had awakened in her a desire to learn more about sexuality and eroticism, and while she had the role of seductress pretty much down, she couldn't help but feel a little like a phony considering the only real passion she had ever experienced were those fleeting moments with him at the inn.

She would be lying to herself if she said she didn't want to feel more of it, but she knew that getting it from her teacher would probably be frowned upon, not to mention a distraction for both of them from their mission. But now that he was here and she needed to dance for him anyways, why not take advantage of the situation? It wouldn't look like she was purposely asking him for it and so it wouldn't be quite so embarrassing. And besides, if she could seduce Kakashi, it was certain she could overpower damn near anyone.

"Chances are that guy you saw enter the room with Tsurenai will be back. I saw him here another night as well. We can—um—question him the next chance we get."

Sakura kept the pace nice and slow using her legs on the floor as leverage to grind her hips back and fourth in teasing circles that had reduced other men to creatures of groaning need. Triumph filled her when his sentence was interrupted by his own heated grunt, although he tried to disguise it. She could tell her ministrations were having the desired effect as his hands proceeded to grip the sides of the chair hard enough to turn his knuckles white. He was fighting it, possibly as concerned about this twisted student and teacher relationship as she was, and yet, his reaction made it clear that his body wanted her, even if his mind disagreed.

"I'll keep my eyes open for him," she whispered breathily, arching back into him in such a way that his intake of breath was a little sharper than usual.

The temperature was rising, although she couldn't be sure whether it was herself getting hotter or Kakashi. She suspected it was a combination of both considering his breathing was growing slightly ragged and her own pulse had jumped substantially.

While Sakura was usually torn between feeling the satisfying sense of power and the mild revulsion of squirming on a perverted man's lap, she found dancing for Kakashi to be totally different. It was exhilarating, if not a little nerve racking and it felt as if contact with his body sent an electrical current zinging through her, a very pleasurable electric current.

"Mmm," she sighed, barely biting back his name that was on the tip of her tongue. Chances are the room wasn't bugged. She doubted Dajaku would be willing to pay for it, but one could never be too sure and had to be content with a soft moan as his ragged breath fanned over her neck through his mask.

She could feel his body go rigid beneath her and knew it meant he was about to make a decision as to whether or not they should continue.

She knew Kakashi probably had mixed feelings about the whole thing but she had no idea as to the extent of the battle going on inside her teacher's mind. She couldn't have known that he had had trouble getting her face out of his mind ever since the first time she had done this to him, that he had masturbated in the shower that night to thoughts of her and then again after seeing her reveal her breasts on stage, both times resulting in feelings of self repulsion and shame. She didn't know that he had wished to have her against him just like this on so many occasions that it made him sick and that finally feeling her soft, nearly naked body against him was a little piece of heaven. However, he didn't know that Sakura had secretly been hoping to have another chance at this as well. If he had, his decision might have been a little easier, or perhaps a hell of a lot harder.

"You do this for all your customers?" he rasped against her neck, for some reason feeling a pang of jealousy that so many men had enjoyed this same act before him.

"Just the ones that need a little extra encouragement to answer me truthfully," she panted, the electric current gravitating towards her stiffening nipples and the apex of her thighs.

"Are you saying you're trying to get information out of me?" Kakashi rumbled low in his chest, knowing he was only making the situation worse. He should ask her to go back to standing in front of him and break the physical contact between them, but he couldn't bring himself to part with the body rubbing up against him

"If I told you, you would make sure not to tell me anything wouldn't you?" Sakura said, her tone teasing. In reality, she did want information from him, but it wasn't anything that had to be communicated through words. The way he was responding to her was telling her everything she needed to know.

Just his body against hers felt so good but she wanted more. She wanted him to touch her like he had before, to send that same heated desire coursing through her.

"I'm afraid I'm not as…composed as I should be," he ground out after a moment, his hands gripping the chair so hard it threatened to splinter under the pressure. The remark was more of a warning than an encouragement that she might just get answers out of him if she tried hard enough because honestly, he wasn't sure what he would do if she kept this up. He was desperately fighting to control his pelvis and keep from bucking up to meet hers. Her rhythmic motions resembled the act of intimacy a little too closely and it was putting all kinds of images in his head that only added to the losing battle of keeping his body under control.

"It's fine, let it happen," she gasped as she felt the beginnings of his hardness rub against her center. She could feel a delectable sensation of warmth and wetness begin to pool low in her belly and she wanted to urge it on, to see what this feeling would lead to. His breathless groans and trembling body gave her courage to what she never would have dreamed of just a few weeks ago.

Kakashi groaned in pleasure, no longer to hide the obvious effects she was having on him. His manhood hardened beneath her swiveling hips and he heard her groan softly as it rubbed up against what must be her most private spot.

His audible response gave her the confidence to take a chance and reach up behind her to weave her fingers into his hair, making it even harder for him to push her away if he decided that's what he wanted to do.

The Copy nin honestly didn't know what to do. He hadn't expected a simple information exchange to go this wrong. His body was clearly enjoying this far too much and he knew this would do nothing to cure his impure thoughts of his student. She was only reinforcing his perception of her as a woman, a sexy delicious fuckable woman at that, and that was something that seriously needed to stop. He just had to get enough willpower to get his mouth to order what his body didn't want.

However, he couldn't seem to get the words to come out of his mouth.

Sakura was beginning to feel she had won the fight, assuming Kakashi had been opposed to this to begin with. Then again, her perverted teacher might have been perfectly fine with her grinding on him like this. After all, it was obviously affecting him too. The rock hard cock in his pants rubbing over her moistened folds was proof enough he found her appealing. Now she wanted him to take an active part in this, something she was reluctant to let other men do.

Sakura moaned, arching again and thrusting out pert, crimson covered breasts.

Kakashi was thankful there was no mirror in front of them this time. Seeing her like that, undoubtedly flushed and full of need and desire would have shattered his resolve on the spot. He was having a hard enough time standing and walking from her. He knew he should do it, and yet he remained seated in the chair.

"Sakura…I…" his breathed softly, forgetting himself for a minute and calling her by her true name.

"You can touch me if you want," Sakura whispered, inviting him to take part in this experience too. She wanted him to touch her, wanted him to want to touch her in a way she had never felt with anyone else. She was always the one in charge, the one calling the shots, but something about the silver haired man weakened her and she found herself letting him take the lead instead.

Kakashi hesitated, his last thread of opposition stretched taunt and ready to snap. He wanted her, god he wanted her, but it was so much so fast. He had been fantasizing about her for a while now but he had never dared to dream that it went both ways. Even if it did, it was only because she had been thrust into this world of sin and sex and he was the only familiar man she could turn to. He had already taught her one lesson and apparently she wanted another, but the first was only given because the mission called for it. What would it mean to touch her now? This would not be considered training. This was just the need to satisfy a deep carnal lust that she had so recently become privy to and that he had been fighting down for the better part of this assignment. He could tell her no. She'd probably be mad but she'd get over it. Hell, she'd probably look back in retrospect and be thankful that he had turned her down.

However, Kakashi's resolve had been worn too thin by night after night of seeing her dressed in the sexiest attire he could imagine, of seeing her escort man after man into a booth just like this one, leaving him to wonder what she'd let them do to her. He had no doubts that however they touched her, selfishly, carelessly, he could do it a hundred times better, and now that he finally had the chance to do so, why would he let it slip by?

Fuck it. I'm going to hell anyway.

He released his death grip on the chair that had been the only thing keeping him from laying a hand on her sooner and let his fingers trail up her outer thighs slowly, feeling her silky skin and the flexing of her muscles beneath. She shivered softly and moaned in encouragement as the simple touch made the heat inside her flare exponentially.

Her fingers tightened in his hair as his hands came to rest on her hips, instantly taking control as he pushed her down on him the same time he bucked up, driving his cloth covered cock up against her sensitive folds making her cry out softly in delighted surprise.

She was panting heatedly, as if she had just finished running several miles but she seemed full of energy as she tried to raise her hips of her own accord and grind on him faster, clearly enjoying the feel of him against her.

Kakashi suddenly aware that this wasn't just a lap dance. This was almost like sex with their clothes still in place and indeed, the musky, feminine smell of Sakura's arousal was already filling the small room. He hadn't meant for it to get this hot and heavy but he couldn't stop himself, not with her body clad in that little red outfit and her sweet gasps and moans that were contributing to his erection almost as much as the friction between them was.

This was too much. This wasn't right. But oh god, he was loving every second of it.

Sakura was lost in a way she had never been before. Every touch set her ablaze and she couldn't silence her heavy, broken breaths nor the occasional whimper that slipped past her lips. His hands were sliding up her sides now, grazing the outer curves of her breasts and she arched into this touch wantonly, craving more contact.

The movement made it quite obvious what she wanted and the older man only hesitated a moment before letting both hands cup her breasts gently She sighed in pleasure as the soft mounds nestled into his palms and Kakashi realized why her chest had looked so much bigger. He could immediately tell there was padding in the cups of her top that made her look larger and also gave her a little extra lift. However, the extra layers weren't so dense as to prevent him from feeling the hard buds of her distended nipples through the fabric.

She cooed softly, her head lolling back against his shoulder as he began to knead the supple mounds gently. Even in his current state of near frantic lust, he still had enough sense to treat her virgin body with care, wanting to bring her the same pleasure she was giving him.

He let his thumbs brush over tightened nipples, wishing she had lost the top before they had started. The garment crisscrossed over her back in a complex pattern before tying in a knot at her nape and the middle of her back and he didn't think he currently had the dexterity to try and untangle it. He was considering slipping a hand under the cup and feeling the soft flesh without the barrier of red spandex and padding when something caught his attention.

The front of his pants was beginning to feel a little damp and when he looked down over Sakura's shoulder to the place where her legs were spread wide, he immediately realized why. The fabric covering her mound was now a darker shade of red than the rest of her panties, proof that she had soaked right through the crotch of them with her arousal and had rubbed against him so much that his own pants were damp with it. The fact that he had had tuned her on this much was a bit of an ego boost and also incredibly sexy. He stared at the dark spot in fascination, breathing in her spicy sweet smell until could not hold back any longer.

"Sakura," he growled against her neck, his voice thick with lust as one hand descended down her stomach to the waistband of her thong. "You're wet."

Sakura shivered as his fingers traced the line that separated flesh from fabric and tried to clear her head enough to comprehend what he had said.

"Huh?" she panted, her normally sharp mind hazy with need.

"You're wet," he repeated, his voice warm with the smile that formed on his lips at her disorientation.

Sakura finally understood, stilling her hips at last and looking down to see that she had indeed soaked through the crotch of her panties. She tried to close her knees as mortification set in, for nothing like this had ever happened to her before. Nobody had turned her on like this before! She had wanted Kakashi to think of her as a sexy woman but not a sex crazed harlot. Yet, he didn't seem disgusted at all and braced his palms against her thighs to keep her legs spread wide.

"Don't be embarrassed," he breathed, rubbing his hands up and down her thighs. She supposed it was meant to be soothing but all it did was make the fire in her burn hotter. She was so aroused that she could feel the inner walls of her sex contracting every now and then as they sought to pull something into her body that wasn't there, craving the flesh of a man to fill her aching need. The ball of tissue above her opening was throbbing and she had no doubt it was probably swollen and hot, pulsing in time with her swiftly beating heart. She waited breathlessly, tense and trembling on his lap for his next move.

"Do you usually get wet when you dance?" he growled into his ear, knowing he had no business asking the question but for some reason had to know if other men had turned her on like this.

Timidly, she shook her head as she let out a shaky reply.

"Never."

Without thinking, he moved his hand even lower and let a single finger ghost over the drenched fabric, feeling its slick texture against his finger and the pulsating flesh of her sex just below the surface.

Sakura couldn't contain her shrill gasp, arching so far that her hips almost lifted off his lap completely. Just the faintest brush of his finger over her engorged clit sent violent tremors through her and made her vaginal muscles contract abruptly. If he rubbed her just a little harder, she was sure she would go out of her mind.

Just then, a hard knock on the door caused both of them to snap their focus up towards the entrance.

"Hana, everything ok in there? You've been in there for two sets of songs."

It was Juu checking up on her. Apparently they had been alone far longer than she had realized and he had grown worried since a lap dance usually didn't last longer than three or four songs.

"I'm fine. I'll be out in a sec," she called, impressed that she managed to make her voice sound somewhat steady even as she was shaking.

She tried to summon strength to her legs and raised herself off Kakashi's lap, teetering forward unsteadily on her red heels. Her body was still hot and needy but the moment had been ruined. She was all too aware of the sticky dampness between her legs and felt more disgust than desire. She couldn't believe she had gone so far as to hump recklessly on Kakashi's clothed erection until she was soaked through. She risked lifting her eyes to meet his face and found herself having to swallow a lump in her throat as she realized that he was looking at her the way all her customers looked at her, like they wanted to rip off her clothes and have their way with her right there on the floor.

His one eyed gaze alone made her heart throb and her core tighten. What would sex with Kakashi be like? If he was half as good at the act as he was at foreplay, then it would no doubt be mind blowing, but despite her body's insistent ache, she wasn't sure if she wanted to lose her virginity just yet, especially to her teacher. The fact that she was even thinking about it was absurd.

The only sound in the room was the rhythmic thump of the music but beneath that, if she listened hard, she could hear the faint sounds of feminine moans and figured it was probably Kitsune a few booths over. Either the man she had selected was quite good at pleasing or she was just putting on a show for him. Regardless, it made her increasingly uncomfortable to think she had wanted to engage in the same act only moments ago.

"I-I should go," she stammered awkwardly, suddenly feeling very self conscious. "I need to change before I go back onstage."

The Copy nin nodded, still slightly out of breath. He still had a raging hard on in his pants that made thinking about anything else difficult. He wanted her to come back to him, to let him pick up where they had left off, but even now the voice in his mind warned that it wasn't a good idea, that none of this had been a good idea and it would probably come back to haunt him sooner rather than later.

Without waiting for another response, Sakura unlocked the door and scuttled out with only a cursory nod towards Juu who still looked slightly worried. She made a beeline for the dressing room, hoping that nobody would notice the large wet spot on her panties.

Her cheeks were burning both with desire and shame. Why the hell had she let things go so far? She had wanted to feel that wonderful sensation that he had let her experience before and she had, but the physical proof of her arousal had snapped her back to reality and made her realize that there was much more to the realm of sexuality. She had just wanted to have a good time, to feel wanted and needed, but it had resulted in her own body calling for a man she had no business desiring, even if it was obvious that he had wanted her too. She felt very much like a little girl again, with so much that she didn't know about the world. Even if she was proficient at getting information out of dumb thugs, it still only made her the world's biggest faker because when it came to the actual act of sex, she was still completely clueless and a little scared at the prospect of being joined so intimately with another person.

But for those few, lustful moments alone with Kakashi, she had wanted it. She had wanted him to touch her, to be inside her, to do anything that would have eased that burning need.

She slipped through the crowd without sparing any of the men there a second thought, brushing them off before they even had the chance to proposition her.

She finally found her way into the dressing room and sat down in the nearest chair heavily, resting her elbows on the table and holding her head in her hands. What was the matter with her? Had she really changed so much that she was willing to give her body to the man that had been her first sensei? She had never even thought of him as attractive until this mission but she supposed that it had something to do with the fact that she had seen his naked torso more than once while sharing a room with him and it was his hands that had been the first to kindle within her the hot fires of passion.

But that had all been for the sake of the mission. He had been very professional about it, explaining why he was doing what he was doing and never overstepped his boundaries. Even if his own body betrayed him, he made it clear it was just a natural reaction and that they were still strictly partners for the mission and nothing more.

However, tonight had been different. He had touched her where she had never let anybody touch before and it had felt good, better than good, incredible actually. Did that mean Kakashi was considering the same thing she had or was he just caught up in the moment? The memory of him whispering heatedly in her ear made her skin tingle but she pushed the image away almost violently and tried to purge it from her mind. Chances were he had just gotten carried away or had simply followed her lead. She had obviously wanted to feel pleasure and he had given her a taste of it, letting her once again see that other side of him that was so carefully locked away beneath his exterior.

Why did she have to go and mess up their previous relationship with her foolish curiosity? Kakashi had only wanted to talk with her and she had gone and made a mess of it, letting her shallow desires take over and blur the line between professional and personal. Now she would have to go and straighten everything out with him later. She supposed it wasn't so bad. Kakashi would understand. He might scold her a little for letting her emotions get the best of her but he wouldn't hate her. The only problem was, after feeling so delicious in his arms, she wondered if she even wanted to tell him that nothing had changed and they were still strictly business partners. Even if she did want to tell him she wanted something physical from him, she was almost certain he would reject the idea. Kakashi took his job extremely seriously and wasn't likely to mix work and play, especially with a student. And why was she even considering this anyways?

Sakura let her sweaty brow rest on the cool surface of her make up table and sighed wearily. She was confused, that much was for sure, but how she really felt about it all was irrelevant. She would act like this never happened and if Kakashi brought it up, she would shrug it off as a bout of curiosity or the desire to show him what she had learned. He would probably accept either excuse and things would go on as normal, or at least as normal as things got around here.

But Sakura couldn't help but wonder that if the solution was so simple, than why did she feel that following through with it would be incredibly hard?

XXXXX

Kakashi my man, you have really outdone yourself this time. You are without a doubt the world's biggest idiot.

He sat in silence, unmoving in the chair ever since Sakura had practically fled the room. The music still blared and the impassioned moans from the other room were only growing louder, making his cock throb painfully at the reminder of the soft body he had lost.

Sakura had surprised him with a sensual dance but he had clearly lacked the proper willpower to keep the situation under control. It was bad enough that he had allowed himself to touch her, but to speak to her as if she were in his bed and to touch her as if he had every right to do so was absolutely intolerable. Masturbating to thoughts of her was bad enough but to touch his own student there, to let his thumb glide over that sensitized little pearl…it was…heaven, but also completely inappropriate.

A shrill cry seeped through the walls, signaling the woman a few booths over had reached her climax and he grit his teeth and tried to push away the thought of making Sakura do the same thing. If they hadn't been interrupted, he very well could have, could have slipped his hand under her panties and played with her swollen little clit without fabric in the way, could have slipped a finger into that wonderful wet heat and felt her clench around him with virgin tightness, could have—

He shook his head as if the action would erase the thoughts. This was bad, really bad, for he doubted Sakura had any idea what she had done to him. She probably had just planned on giving him a lap dance to maintain their cover and had found herself aroused, probably because he was familiar and she could relax around him instead of pumping him for information. He had taken advantage of that and her innocence and aroused her in a way she may not even understand. There was something primal in the way she was moving, as if she was going on pure instinct, unsure why her own body was acting the way it was, even if she was a medic.

He couldn't let himself be fooled. Even if she looked different and acted different, she was still the same pure Sakura, not a seasoned pole dancer that he could have any way he wanted if he had enough cash or charm.

Gradually, the tent in his pants began to droop and he felt normal enough to risk mingling back into the crowd. When he emerged from the booth into the flashing lights of the club, Juu was watching him skeptically.

"You didn't give her any trouble did you?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.

"No sir, not a bit," he replied passing him and making his way back to the bar for a much needed drink.

Even as he spoke the words, he knew that they were a lie.

XXXXX

Whew! Is it hot in here or is it just me? Anyways, drop me a line with all comments, questions and complaints. Don't forget, reviewslove.


	10. Chapter 10

The next two nights at the club progressed without incident

I hope you're excited about this update because I have finals next week but I found the time to post this anyway.

Before I get to the story however, I would like to take the time to address a review that came up saying that they would prefer I update Stripped Bare instead of posting one shots that "don't matter". I'm glad you all are enjoying this story so much but it's extremely disheartening to have all other work I put out dismissed as insignificant simply because it's not the update they were hoping for. I put equal effort into everything I write because putting out something of quality is important to me so calling it unimportant is angering. To be honest, I was tempted to delay this update another few weeks because of it but decided not to punish everyone else for one person's insensitivity. At the end of the day, I am not writing this for anyone out there but myself, though it makes me happy to know I have people writing this and enjoying it so if you aren't happy with my updating schedule, find stories elsewhere because you seem to forget I am a real person with a real life and an incredibly busy one at that. I am not a machine whose soul purpose is to put out chapters not to mention I don't make a dime writing this which means many other things take priority. If you are really liking this fic or even if you have criticism, reviews are always welcome but to cut down my other works because it's not another SB update really has no valid basis in my opinion.

Sorry about the rant but I was really bothered by this. And now, chapter 10!

Stripped Bare-Chapter 10

The next two nights at the club progressed without incident. Sakura danced for a few men, producing nothing but dead ends, the lists of guys receiving lap dances produced no results, and there was no sign of the allusive man with strange colored eyes. It was bad enough that time was passing without any progress being made on the mission, but the fact that everything was so normal after the event with Kakashi was making the kunoichi crazy.

She hadn't really spoken to him since, considering she had only received texts from him instructing her to leave the list out by the trash for him to pick up later. She caught glimpses of him at the club but he never approached her and stayed towards the back of the room. After the steamy and completely unexpected encounter between them, her mind had been running in confused and slightly panicked circles for the better part of forty eight hours.

What the hell had come over her? She had never gotten so worked up while dancing with another man. She knew the mission was their first priority but she had focused instead on her own pleasure. She recalled the way his warm, calloused hands felt as they dragged over her skin, and the raspy sound of his voice as he murmured about how wet she was against the shell of her ear. Lord, just the memory of it made her stomach flip flop and she knew she would forever see her former sensei in a different light. He wasn't just a teacher now, and would never be a fatherly figure to her. He was a man, a sexually charged and dangerously seductive man, and that spelled big trouble for her because she found herself rather intrigued by the thought after her experience. One brush of his thumb over her sensitive clitoris had sent her shivering. What could an experienced man like him do if he really put his mind to it? She had no doubt it would be one of the most blissful encounters she could ever hope to have.

And that was the problem. She was thinking about what it would be like to have sex with Kakashi, and that simply was not ok.

Sure she was curious about what intercourse would be like, and that wonder only grew the more time she spent at the club. Sometimes she would hear impassioned moaning coming from the private booths with beds and wondered what it would be like to have a man take her.

Of course she had no intention of sharing her body with a perfect stranger, but the sounds of their desire only heightened her curiosity. What would sex be like with Kakashi? Would he even want to have sex with her? She was over a decade younger than him after all, and he might think of her as silly and immature.

But the way he had acted when they were alone in that room communicated that he thought she was certainly attractive enough, and he said himself that he couldn't help but think of her as a woman. Did that mean he found her sexy? Desirable? Or was it just a combination of hormones and the eroticism of the situation that made him act like that? It could be she had grown a little too skilled at seducing men, although she found that hard to believe, and the action of her grinding on his lap had been what worked him into a frenzy, nothing more.

But Sakura had a sneaking suspicion it would take more than that to break down her partner's iron will and stony self control. If that was the case, then what did Kakashi really think about her? The question was gnawing away at her incessantly and she longed to know the truth, but finding the answer would be very hard considering they hadn't even exchanged a word since the incident happened. She wondered if he was trying to avoid her. After all, things couldn't be awkward if they didn't talk. She had picked up her cell phone to text him half a dozen times to say they definitely needed to talk about it, but then she realized she wouldn't know the first thing to say and dropped the phone in defeat. She supposed they would have to talk about it eventually. They couldn't go on about their lives and pretend like it never happened…right?

XXXXX

The morning of the third day, Sakura awoke to the buzzing of her phone under her pillow. Instantly awake, she eagerly read the new message only to discover that she was to fold the list into a paper airplane and send it sailing out the window at the end of the hall between three thirty and four o'clock. Kakashi was really getting creative now, and she wondered just how he expected her to do that without the other girls wondering what the heck she was up to.

For some reason her heart sank a little at the fact that this method meant she wouldn't even catch a glimpse of Kakashi while exchanging the list, and she pushed the melancholy thought aside, wondering why she should care.

A glance at the clock on her phone told her it was already after noon. This new lifestyle certainly wasn't conducive to getting up early. Then again, she had laid there in bed for nearly an hour last night, mind turning the problem of her encounter with Kakashi over and over, before she had finally drifted off.

She listened for the breathing of her roommates but heard nothing. It appeared even Misaki had gotten up before her, which was truly pathetic, and yet she felt no motivation to get out of bed. She still had a few hours before she had to deliver the list via paper airplane and her bed was so warm and cozy. It wasn't like she had anything else to do anyway.

Settling back against the pillows, her mind immediately began to replay the scene from two nights ago, his warm hands on her hips and his sinewy body pressed against hers. Just what would have happened if Juu hadn't knocked on the door? His fingers had been so very close to dipping under her panties. What if he had touched her there, caressed her slick flesh with bare fingers?

Sakura immediately pushed the inappropriate thought away. Fantasizing about Kakashi was just wrong. Even if his hands were practically magical, that was no excuse to go daydreaming about her former teacher. She berated herself for doing something that was more characteristic of her blonde best friend, who had mentioned numerous times that she had wondered what sex with Asuma-sensei would be like. At the time, Sakura had found Ino's musing appalling, but now she couldn't stop herself from wondering the same thing. What would it be like if Kakashi touched her again? What would he do to her? She had no doubt there were probably an endless amount of ways he could make her feel good, most of them things Sakura had never dreamed of. She was still rather innocent after all, but she found herself wanting to know more about what a man and woman could do together.

The book she flipped through at the bookstore had been a tad graphic and a little intimidating with the people in the pictures all twisted and contorted into seemingly impossible positions, but it had piqued her interest even if she didn't want to admit it.

Listening again to make sure nobody was walking down the hall toward her room, she leaned over and fished around under her bed for one of the erotica novels Kitsune had lent her.

The cover was solid navy blue and quite nondescript. It looked a little worn, obviously because it had been read more than once, and Sakura ran her fingers over the tattered cover. Did she really want to indulge in this? This might only make her daydreaming problem worse.

She considered stowing it back under her bed and forgetting all about it but in the end, curiosity won out she opened the book to the first page of the story.

It turned out that calling it a "story" was a little generous. What little plot she could piece together was cliché and unimaginative, but it was quite obvious that anybody who was bothering to read this book was not doing so for a captivating plot. Sakura quickly found herself drawn into the book anyway, for one of the first scenes was an incredibly graphic though surprisingly tasteful sex scene describing a girl losing her virginity to a mysterious stranger. The man was tall and dark and wonderfully seductive, a complete contrast to the girl who was fair and innocent and seemed at a loss as to how he was making her feel so good as he spread her out on his cool, wine colored sheets and took his time having his way with her.

At first, Sakura nearly snorted aloud at the cheesy dialogue and how easily the heroine was seduced. For a girl who was supposed to be so pure, it certainly didn't take much for the strange man to get her into his bed. Yet, as she read on, she found herself charmed by the male character and his treatment of his new lover. His touches were gentle and tender but equally strong and domineering, communicating that all she had to do was lay back and relax for him as he made short work of her clothes.

The descriptions of her pale skin and wonderfully responsive body soon had Sakura breathing a little heavier. As she read in graphic detail how he suckled her pert pink nipples until they were swollen and red, she felt a familiar heat begin to pool in her belly. It was by no means the raging inferno she had experienced with Kakashi, but the sensation was still a pleasant one and she wanted more of it. She read on about how their tongues dueled against each other feverishly, and how she gasped delicately when he nipped at her flushed skin.

Absently, her own hand that wasn't holding the book had started tracing random patterns over her flat belly beneath the sheets as she subconsciously sought stimulation to increase the growing heat inside her.

Both characters were naked now, the younger girl gawking at the wonderful sight of flexing muscles and an impressive, twitching erection that made her press her thighs together nervously.

She admitted that she was afraid he wouldn't fit, and he murmured words of reassurance and told her there were plenty of ways he could make sure she was ready for him. Sakura's eyes widened as she turned the page to discover him kissing a fiery trail down her naked belly only to lift a trembling thigh onto his shoulder and begin to lick her where she was most sensitive.

The kunoichi had remembered Ino saying something about the wonders of receiving oral stimulation, but Sakura had blocked it out, dismissing it as way too much information from her oversexed friend. She couldn't imagine actually letting someone do that to her. It had to be one of the most embarrassing if not slightly disgusting things she had heard of, especially if the guy decided he didn't like what he saw. But as Sakura read the descriptive sentences describing the mysterious man lapping away at quivering folds, she found herself rubbing her own thighs together in need as the inner heat in her body began to seep lower in her core.

The blonde girl shivered and shook, forgetting her hesitation while moaning incoherently as his hot mouth engulfed her swollen clit and began to suck rhythmically, his other hand keeping her bucking hips pressed firmly to the bed. Her frail fingers clutched desperately at the silken sheets as her body responded to the muscle lapping at her leisurely, while he growled out how good she tasted and smelled and felt.

Suddenly, Sakura was no longer picturing a dark man and a pale woman, but herself sprawled out recklessly with Kakashi above her. She knew it was wrong as her mind superimposed the actions of the two characters onto her teacher's visage and her own, but at the moment she didn't care. The picture in her mind of Kakashi licking her gently with her legs hooked haphazardly over his shoulders made the heat inside her flare until it was almost unbearable and a dull and agonizing throb began amongst her own feminine folds.

She wanted to recreate that divine feeling of being completely consumed by passion and so far, only Kakashi had managed awaken that sensation. Picturing his face in her mind helped her body grow hotter and more sensitive, until she could stand it no more and hesitantly slipped a hand under the waistband of her sweats. Her fingers traced over bare skin and she realized she had foregone underwear the night before. That fact seemed convenient now, for the baggy sweat pants gave her hand plenty of room to maneuver.

Masturbation was not something Sakura indulged in. She had tried a couple of times, but her body simply seemed unresponsive to her own touch, and her attempts often ended with her feeling a little silly for thinking that squeezing her own breasts or rubbing her sex uncertainly could produce pleasure.

But this was on an entirely different level. Her body was awake and ready, eager for any stimulation that might quell the growing pressure between her legs.

Her free hand brushed over her smoothly shaven mound, and she could feel the intense heat of her sex radiating against her fingers. She held her breath as a single finger brushed over plump lips that were moist with her desire, causing her to shudder in pleasure. She remembered Kakashi's finger tracing over the very same place through the fabric of her panties and wondered if he would have touched her like this if given the chance. The muscles lining her canal flexed at the thought of her partner slipping his hand under the red fabric and touching her just as she was touching herself now. The book in her fingers fell away forgotten as her eyes drifted closed. She began to imagine it was Kakashi's hand teasing over her outer lips, and not her own. Her breath was broken and irregular, her body trembling with anticipation as she let a single digit part her surprisingly slick folds and rub up and down the cleft. She let out a soft whine and arched into her own touch as feminine muscles within instantly rippled at the sensation. The pleasure was warm and wonderful, ebbing and flowing with the caress of her finger, pulsing through her to make her toes tingle and her nipples tighten. Her thighs parted wider, allowing her finger to probe her velvet folds more thoroughly, and she gasped aloud as her free hand joined the first under layers of sheets and clothing and spread her nether lips apart to let her finger slide over every slick crevice.

In her mind, it was Kakashi making her feel so wonderful. He was now right here with her in this room, and she could imagine what it would feel like for his weight to be settled on top of her, his long and calloused fingers tracing her most intimate parts. He would look down at her with his single uncovered eye and whisper seductively that he could feel how wet she was and how much he liked it.

Sakura's breath hitched at the thought of the Copy Nin's lust-roughened voice speaking her name. If he were to touch her like this, she had no doubt he would dominate her and take the lead, letting his superior experience and skill take over.

Tentatively, she let her finger drift to the swollen ball of tissue that was calling for attention. She brushed her finger over the slick pearl experimentally, and was rewarded with a burning flash of pleasure down her spine that nearly stole her breath away. She repeated the action and let out a low moan as all her nerve endings flared from the simple touch. Her clit was hot and enflamed beneath her fingertips, and every touch resulted in delicious sensations throughout her whole body.

She began rubbing circles around the sensitive pearl, arching her hips into her own hand as she imagined Kakashi in her mind's eye, watching her and whispering raspy words of encouragement, to enjoy it, to relax.

Even though the kunoichi had never had an orgasm before, it didn't take a genius to figure out she was rapidly approaching her peak. Her finger began to rub quicker, harder as she raced toward that place she had never been to, but always wanted to go, and she imagined that Kakashi was urging her to embrace it. The thoughts only made her throbbing sex pulse hotter.

Voices on the other side of the door made Sakura pause, hand stilling inside her pants as she heard the doorknob turn. As quick as she could she grabbed the abandoned erotica novel and hid it under the sheets, rolling onto her side and feigning sleep just as the door opened.

"Hana, are you awake?" Miyabi called softly.

"Hmm?" the kunoichi replied, trying to make her response drowsy and sluggish as if she had just awoken.

"We're about to eat breakfast if you're interested. Is everything ok? It's unlike you to sleep so late," she said, her smooth voice tinged with concern.

"I'm fine," Sakura lied. "I just didn't sleep that great last night. I'll be out in a minute."

As soon as she heard the door shut, Sakura let out a breath of relief. She had been afraid Miyabi would come sit on her bed and chat with her like she sometimes did, and upon closer inspection find out just what she had been up to.

She sat up and withdrew the hand that was still trapped in her sweats to find her pointer finger glistening with her own juices. She wiped it quickly on her pants as shame flushed her already burning cheeks. She had been masturbating while thinking about Kakashi, the man who had been her teacher and mentor. It wouldn't be so bad if she was in the habit of pleasuring herself anyway, but nothing, not even fleeting thoughts of Sasuke had gotten her as hot and bothered as visions of her team leader had. She had promised herself she would forget about their encounter a few nights back, but how the hell was that possible now, when she had nearly experienced her first orgasm just by imagining him touching her?

Overcome by the complexity of the situation, Sakura slumped back onto her bed with a groan, letting her pillow cradle her head. A few days ago she had been eager to see Kakashi but now the thought of meeting him face to face made her gut heavy with dread. She knew she would be too ashamed to look him in the eye after touching herself to thoughts of him, and the emotions only added to the already turbulent thoughts of what had occurred between them a few nights back.

Maybe she would skip both breakfast and paper airplane folding and just stay in bed all day.

XXXXX

Breakfast was uneventful.

If anybody thought her staying in bed all morning was suspicious, they didn't show it, although she doubted any of them gave it a second thought. If Tora was any indicator, sleepless nights were common considering their current careers and personal morals were constantly in conflict.

Conversation was light and pleasant, mostly because Misaki was gushing about how the weather was unusually warm and patches of blue sky were visible through the usual blanket of grey clouds. They decided if there was ever a day for an outing, today was the day. Apparently many of their girls' customers last night had been generous with their tips, so grocery shopping was now an option. Sakura was thankful, for it had been several days since she had tasted vegetables or fruit, living instead of cereal, oatmeal and rice.

By the time she showered, dressed, and retrieved the list of men from Dajaku, it was almost three. Visiting her employer in his office took longer than expected since he chose this particular day to ask how the investigations were going. It was embarrassing to state that after all this time, they still had no real leads and were no closer to solving the mystery than when they had first arrived. At least there hadn't been any other disappearances since they had come to Fuzen Machi, but that was a flimsy case before the silver eyed man who was watching her critically. He had dismissed her without grilling her too much, but Sakura couldn't help but feel like his faith in the two of them was waning. He might not have minded too much if Sakura had been giving him the percentage of her earnings that he requested. She was becoming quite popular with the club's patrons after all, but he still seemed to question the large amount of money he was paying the couple, considering they had been working on the mission for over a month with nothing to show for it.

Sakura retreated to the second floor feeling a little distressed and more determined than ever to find the kidnapper, but with no clues and no leads, it was obvious that pure determination and resolve weren't going to be enough. They needed a breakthrough, and fast, before Dajaku gave up on them completely and sent them away in disgust.

She walked into the living room to find all the girls assembled as if they were getting ready to go out. Apparently they had taken Misaki's advice about going outdoors.

"Hey honey, we're getting ready to do a little grocery shopping and maybe eat lunch somewhere if you want to come," Tora offered, straightening the hem on her shabby knee length skirt before giving her a smile.

Sakura was tempted to take her up on her offer and enjoy the rays of sunshine filtering through the clouds, but she knew if she was going to deliver the list like Kakashi requested, there would be no better time than when none of them were around.

"Thanks," she replied, "but I think I'm going to stay here. I still don't feel that great after staying up last night. I think I might take a nap later."

"Aw, come with us Hana-chan!" Misaki whined, sounding more like a little girl than ever.

"Yes, please come," Jitsu said quietly, looking lovely in a dark green shirt that was so old and threadbare that it was practically shapeless.

"Sorry, maybe next time ok?" she said, trying not to feel guilty as the big blue eyes looking at her hopefully, suddenly filled with disappointment.

"Suit yourself," Kitsune shrugged, fixing the strap on her high heeled—but decidedly less porn star looking—sandal than the ones she wore when working. "But when we come back talking about what a great time we had, I don't want to hear you complaining that you were left out."

Sakura smiled. "Thank you for the offer everyone but I think it's best if I just rest today. Have fun though," she replied, genuinely regretting that she couldn't go. However, she hadn't been hired so she could play around and go shopping. She had work to do.

She retreated into her room, pretending to relax until she heard the door to the first floor open and the feminine voices filtered away. She waited another ten minutes to make sure they were gone before withdrawing Dajaku's list from her pocket and folding it into a paper airplane as instructed.

Quietly, she opened her door and peeked out, finding the hallway deserted. She walked soundlessly to the end of the hall where the only window on the second floor was located, at least the only window she had seen. Tsurenaiand Dajaku's rooms were still a mystery.

The window had bars over it, but they were wide enough that the airplane could easily slip through. She opened the window, wincing as the pane grated along its track. Obviously it didn't get opened much, considering the weather outside was usually dreary.

She looked out over the city that was slightly less gray today, thanks to the sun peeking through the clouds. The window gave her a view down the alley, but she couldn't see very far before taller buildings obstructed her view. She could smell soot in the air and she longed for the fresh, warm breezes of Konoha and longed to feel the warmth of the sun again. She felt she'd been deprived of sunshine for ages.

She scanned the rooftops for Kakashi but found no trace of him which didn't really surprise her. He wouldn't let himself be seen unless he wanted to and would probably remain concealed until she threw the list to him.

Taking careful aim, she threw the plane through the bars in a graceful arc and watched it glide on the wind currents over one building and then the next until it touched down on the next roof, its tiny form barely visible. She continued to watch, waiting for Kakashi to emerge and pick it up when she heard a voice behind her.

"You sure do some strange things to pass the time."

Sakura spun around to find Tsurenai leaning casually against the wall, watching her critically. As usual she was dressed to kill in a deep blue shirt with a plunging neckline and stylish black slacks. She even had three inch heels on, and Sakura wondered how she managed to sneak up on her in such footwear. Her kunoichi skills really must be getting rusty.

The purple haired woman had seen her throw the plane so there was no covering that up, and she cursed herself for letting her guard down at such a critical moment.

"Oh, that?" Sakura laughed nervously, thinking quickly to make up a story to explain her odd behavior. "I was just remembering what my dad and I used to do when I was a little girl. We would have contests to see who could throw a paper airplane the farthest."

"I see," she replied, her expression unreadable as she quirked one lavender eyebrow elegantly. "And you would rather stay here doing that than go out with everybody else?"

"I could ask you the same thing," the kunoichi responded, realizing she finally had a chance to talk to the diva one on one and maybe finally get some information out of her. "You hardly ever talk to any of the girls at all. Why is that?"

A humorless smile appeared on the taller woman's glossy lips as she crossed her arms over her ample chest defensively.

"I don't have much in common with anyone else here. They don't understand me and already have their set opinions about me. I believe there would be less conflict if I keep to myself."

"But everyone here is so kind," Sakura argued. "I'm sure they'd love to talk to you and get to know you. We all wonder about you and how you can stand to be alone all the time. Living like this with friends is hard enough, but alone would be even more painful."

"I don't need a support group or other people's pity," Tsurenai replied coolly, pushing off the wall. "I do fine here on my own and I don't need anyone dragging me down. It would be in your best interest if you stay out of my way."

Her tone made her last words sound threatening and Sakura narrowed her jade colored eyes, meeting Tsurenai's aquamarine orbs evenly.

"Or what? I'll disappear or something, just like the others?"

Tsurenai actually let out a laugh, although it held more scorn than mirth.

"So you're actually going to try and pin that on me now?" she said with a flip of her long purple tresses. "You're even more pretentious than I thought."

The taller woman walked towardher and leaned in as if she were going to tell her a secret, although Sakura knew it wouldn't be anything of the sort. Even though she had the power to knock people through walls, she couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by this woman. She was confident and elegant, but seemed like the type who excelled at underhanded and sneaky retaliation. Even without shinobi training, this woman was dangerous.

"I don't know where those girls went and honestly, I don't care. All I need to worry about is putting on the best show that I can and make a little money while I'm doing it. If I had known Dajaku was going to turn this place into an orphanage for misfits and riff raff, I wouldn't have been so eager to help. Unfortunately, one woman isn't enough to keep the club going.

"Stay out of my face and I'll stay out of yours, and stop thinking your do-gooder attitude is going to magically change the lifestyle we lead. We're strippers, prostitutes even, and you had better get used to the idea because you are the same as the rest of them."

Sakura's fist twitched and she had to resist the urge to punch that immaculately painted face of hers, but she managed to rein her temper in. She stood at her full height, her face inches away from the diva's.

"You seem pretty full of yourself," she hissed angrily. "What happens if the next girl that goes missing is you?"

Her mouth twisted into a smirk as bright eyes hardened into turquoise slits.

"It won't be me," she said with so much confidence that Sakura couldn't help but believe her. With that, she turned on her stiletto heel and walked away without a glance back.

The kunoichi let out a sigh and collapsed back against the barred window tiredly. So much for getting some information out of her. If anything, she had just turned the tension between them into full blown hostility, eliminating any chance of questioning her further in the future.

Kakashi would not be happy when he heard this.

At the thought of her sensei she turned around, eyes immediately going to where the paper airplane had last been.

All she saw were dirty concrete rooftops, and any trace of the list or the masked man who took it, was gone.

XXXXX

The heavy bass beat pumped low and primal, reverberating through the club and competing with the rhythm of his own beating heart. He watched Sakura's body sway to the music as if it were second nature for her and felt his pulse accelerate slightly. She was completely comfortable in her skin now, her hesitancy and shyness to exude sexuality was gone, and while on stage, she practically radiated sex. She didn't come off as sophisticated or predatory like some of the other girls did, but instead had a strange sort of genuine allure. He could tell other men sensed it too, for they were drawn to her like moths to a flame, hungry eyes watching her every move.

It was hard to watch her after knowing what an innocent creature she had been before coming here, but Kakashi couldn't tear his eye away from her. Her long pink hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and even from his seat in the back he could see her eyes were smoky and dark thanks to heavy makeup. Her attire tonight was a tiny top that laced up both the front and back like a corset, and a pair of tiny shorts that did the same thing on the sides. The looked like they could be made out of leather but he doubted Sakura could have afforded them if they were. She had been giving him a large portion of her tips to cover his living expenses, and though he had tried to deter her, he always ended up walking away with the money thanks to her stubbornness. He appreciated the gesture, but it didn't seem fair. She was working so hard up there, putting herself on display, only to hand some of it over to Dajaku and more of it to himself. Even so, she appeared to be well fed and had a least a dozen outfits that she rotated through at the club. Thankfully, the little red one she had worn that night had not made another appearance.

It had been four days since his horrible lapse of judgment in the private room, and he hadn't said a word to her face to face since then. It was no coincidence that he hadn't had the occasion to speak with her. He was deliberately avoiding her by having her send him the list in ways that ensured they wouldn't meet. He knew it wasn't going to make the problem go away and he was just acting like a coward, but he needed more time to compose his thoughts and figure out what to say to her. He was having her throw paper planes out the window for crying out loud, and they both knew that was most definitely not the most efficient or stealthy way of exchanging information.

But Kakashi was at a total loss. Every night since their encounter, his dreams were filled with images of her. Sometimes she was in that amazing red outfit and sometimes she was in nothing at all, his mind piecing together a picture of her naked body from the information he had gained by touching her.

She danced for him, just like she had that night, and sometimes, his dreams progressed past the point where they had been interrupted. He was caressing her through damp panties, making her shiver and moan and then, he was slipping his hand underneath the cloth and into a liquid paradise of tightness and heat. She cried for him, sobbed his name as he pumped his fingers steadily, the image so vivid he swore he could smell her sweat and arousal, even after he woke.

Sometimes, his dream would torture him further by showing him scenes of her stripping off her panties, still clad in her heels, and unzipping his pants. She rode him mercilessly, facing both toward him and away, moaning his name and begging for more. But just when he felt they were both on the brink, he would wake up, panting and sweaty and always with a hard on so painful and persistent that not even the coldest of showers would cure it. He tried to be strong, but gave in when the throbbing became unbearable, pumping his length in his hand and allowing himself to imagine that she was the one doing it for him, until he came in an orgasm far more intense than any he had previously had by touching himself. They were always the most intense when he thought of her.

Once he had even awoken in a sticky mess, his body releasing before he was even conscious. It didn't take a genius to know that Kakashi had a serious problem. He was madly in lust with his student, everything about her enticing him. Her fantastic body and the way she moved it, her scent, her smile, her laugh, her voice, her fantastically brilliant jade eyes, her soft lips which he longed to taste, all of it flashed through his mind continuously even when he wasn't at the club, and he knew he was far too distracted to be at the top of his game while researching possible suspects.

But he couldn't stop, and their time alone in the room had only compounded his problem. He had been drawn to her before, but now he craved her, longed to finish what they had started. Even though he knew it was horribly wrong, he ached to be her first, to give her pleasure like she had never had, but every time the thought arose he pushed it away angrily. He had no business wanting her like that, especially since she had jealousy guarded her virginity all these years, saving it for one foolish man who would probably never see what was in front of him. It seemed so incredibly unjust, but Kakashi tried to hammer the fact into his head that Sakura would never be his, couldn't be his because not only was he fourteen years her senior, but her teacher and partner and a thousand other reasons that made such an interaction practically forbidden. And yet, he was still thinking about it wasn't he?

Kakashi was brought back to the present as the song ended, and the focus shifted to the main stage as Tsurenai appeared, leaving the rest of the girls to dance for much smaller audiences. However, Sakura still had a surprising amount of spectators who seemed more interested in watching her than pushing through the crowds to get close to the club's star dancer.

Since she hadn't found anybody to interrogate, Sakura continued to dance, rolling her hips in hypnotizing figure eights before climbing her pole easily and wrapping her supple body around it. Kakashi found that when Sakura was dancing, he didn't even glance at the other girls, although he was probably slightly biased, but the way she moved was so purely sensual that he couldn't help but be pulled in. If he hadn't known for a fact that she was against this whole thing from the start, he never would have guessed.

He was so caught up in watching her spiral down the pole, that he didn't notice who had made his way to the front of her platform, even as she was on her knees crawling along the edge of the stage.

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Sakura was surprised by all the eyes that remained on her, even after Tsurenai started to dance. Usually only a handful bothered to pay the other girls any mind after the self-centered dancer got on stage, but recently she had been collecting more and more admirers that seemed to prefer pink over purple.

She spiraled down her pole and sank to the floor gracefully and crawled cat-like to the edge of the stage where men were waving dirty bills at her.

That's when she saw him: a single face standing out in the crowd. His light colored hair and clean shaven face contrasted with the rest of the dark and grizzly men who stood around the platform, but what really captured her were his eyes that bored directly into hers.

They were a haunting yellow green.

Sakura's heart skipped a beat as she realized the man they had been searching for had returned, and had sought her out no less. She controlled her features carefully, making sure her surprise didn't show, and gave him a sultry smile instead. The man smiled back, showing even, white teeth, free of any decay or staining that seemed common among the usual clientele. To her surprise, he subtly crooked a finger at her, beckoning her closer and she knew she couldn't let this chance to talk with him get away.

Crawling like a tigress on the prowl, she made her way to him, stopping momentarily to let men slip her money, giving them seductive glances in return. Finally she reached him, his face inches from hers, and he held up a bill in a denomination quite a bit larger than what Sakura was expecting.

"You want a dance baby?" she breathed in his ear, leaning in to make herself heard over the music. "I'll make sure you're first on the list after the song ends."

The man chuckled, the sound making the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. Her senses were screaming at her that something was definitely strange about him.

"I was hoping I could buy something a little better than a dance," the man whispered back, his voice low and smooth. He held an air of sophistication about him that Sakura had not perceived in any of her previous admirers.

Sakura knew what he was insinuating and felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. He wanted to sleep with her? She wasn't ready for that! Sure she had had several offers from the men here, but she had easily dismissed them. Turning them down had no impact on her mission, but now what was she supposed to do? She finally had the chance to interrogate the man that was setting off new alarm bells with every word he spoke. Something was definitely suspicious about him, but was she ready to lose her virginity to a perfect stranger?

She met his glimmering gaze, his eyes appearing to glow in the dim light.

Even though she knew she was putting herself before a mission, she knew her answer. She simply couldn't do it.

"I'm sorry honey, but that's a service I don't offer," she whispered, sitting back on her heels and spreading her thighs slightly, hoping she could entice him into a dance anyway. "But I promise if you want some time with me, I'll make it worth your while."

The man looked her over, his eyes roving her body shamelessly, and Sakura felt as if he were staring right through her meager clothing and examining every intimate inch of her skin. She swallowed hard and tried not to think about it, concentrating on looking at his face, memorizing his features. He had smooth, unblemished skin and a strong jaw, a sharp nose that was almost bird like, but not unattractive when balanced with a broad forehead that would have made him look like a Neanderthal if it wasn't for his other features.

"Sorry," he rasped, his voice like velvet. "But I want you in bed or not at all."

To her surprise, his hand went to her parted thigh, warm fingers sliding high on her leg and into dangerous territory making her gasp at his touch. He slipped the large amount of money he had been holding into her thong strap and gave her another smile that made her shiver in a way that was slightly disconcerting, before stepping back to fade into the crowd.

Sakura tried to follow him with her eyes but he was soon lost in the mass of bodies, the flickering lights making it even harder to track him. She retreated back to her pole, trying to make it look as natural as possible and climbed to the top, scanning the entire room. She didn't see him anywhere.

Shit. Shit. Shit!

She was trying to fight down her panic and frustration, knowing that the choice she had made could have just cost them the mission. She had to talk to Kakashi right away if they had any chance of catching that guy.

The kunoichi easily picked her partner out of the crowd, finding him sitting in the same place as always, an unknown drink in his hand. Although she couldn't be sure, she had a feeling he was watching her since his head was tilted in her direction. She needed to signal to him that they needed to talk now. Why hadn't they agreed on ways to alert each other?

Then again, there had been one particular movement mentioned, even though Sakura brushed it off at the time. She usually wouldn't have resorted to this but she didn't have a whole lot of options at the moment.

With surprising grace and agility she flipped her body upside down, hanging onto the metal rod with just her legs, and shimmied her chest, knowing her small breasts were bouncing with the vibrations and drawing all sorts of attention to herself despite the fact Tsurenai was still dancing.

Across the room, Kakashi sat up a little straighter, his eyes definitely focused on her now.

Grasping the pole with her hands, she swung her legs around until she was right side up again and repeated the action, her gaze locked with his.

She wanted to breathe a sigh of relief when Kakashi casually laid down some bills for his abandoned drink even though it looked mostly untouched, and began to make his way to where she was performing.

Sakura spiraled back down to the floor and walked along the perimeter of the stage, oblivious to the hoots and hollers she received as she showed off her body.

Just as the song was ending, Kakashi pushed through the crowd until he was at the front of her platform.

She tried to play it off as dancing for just another customer as she walked to the edge and brought her feet together, rolling her hips in small circles as her legs spread during her descent until her crotch was practically eye level with the masked man.

"To what do I owe this special attention?" Kakashi rasped, speaking loud enough to be heard over the music but also risking being overheard. He was eyeing her body almost lecherously and Sakura felt her stomach tighten, wondering if his heated gaze was simply part of an act.

She didn't need to say much for Kakashi to know what she was talking about. One word summed it up.

"Yellow."

Kakashi's visible eye widened, and not because Sakura was now grinding provocatively against the floor. For once he was finally thinking about something besides her.

"Where?"

She ran her finger along the floor of the stage in front of her.

"Here three minutes ago," she replied, edging to the left of Kakashi to allow a man to stuff a bill into her garter.

Kakashi had heard all that he needed to, slipping back into the sea of faces, leaving Sakura to gather money from the men all too eager to empty their pockets for her.

Damn it! Their suspect had been in the club, and he had been too busy ogling his partner to notice. He definitely needed to get a grip before he did something even more detrimental to the mission.

Sakura glanced around and realized that all the other girls now had their tops off. She had been so caught up in speaking with Kakashi and the mystery man that she hadn't been paying attention to how many songs passed. Apparently, more had played than she realized.

She straightened and walked back to her pole, arching back against it sensuously as one hand found the hidden zipper in the side of her top. Licking her lips as if she had just tasted something delicious, she inched the zipped tab down until her top fell away, leaving her rosy breasts exposed.

Kakashi could hear cheering and glanced over to see that Sakura was now gloriously topless as she twirled effortlessly around her pole. As tempted as he was to watch, he knew now wasn't the time. He had already searched through the crowd without any results and when he casually told Juu he was looking for his friend who he had been separated from, the large man had said only one of the booths was in use, with Tsurenai of course.

When the couple emerged, Kakashi found that the thoroughly satisfied looking man did not have yellow eyes or light hair. Kakashi melted back into the crowd without giving the purple haired woman a second glance, and therefore missed the way her aquamarine eyes narrowed as she stared after him.

After several more laps of the club and an inspection of the men's bathroom, Kakashi was fairly certain their culprit had already made his exit.

Wearily, he locked himself in a stall and withdrew his cell phone. He rapidly punched out a text to Sakura, which he knew she would receive after the show.

Didn't find him. Meet at my room tonight. Don't care how late.

He pressed "send" and emerged from the bathroom, giving the club a final onceover before heading for the door. Maybe he could walk through the town and get some clues as to who the hell this guy was.

Sakura watched him walk out of the club and into the night as she swiveled her hips in time with the music, trying very hard to feel like she hadn't failed him by letting a chance to nab their suspect slip by.

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I know this one was kind of short and I apologize but a lot happened in here and it seemed like a go place for a chapter break. I am now off to study. Please tell me what you think!


	11. Chapter 11

Woo! This chapter is done at last. It's extra long to make up for the short hapter last time. Thank you to my beta crew. I had a lot of people working with me on this one.

My broken lap top is now fized but Word is not installed on it. I'm not sure if I want to attempt writing Chapter 12 in WordPad so another update might be slightly delayed.

I don't own Naruto tand this story is not for the kiddies.

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Stripped Bare- Chapter 11

Sakura wasn't surprised to find a text message from Kakashi waiting for her when she finally had the chance to check her phone after the club closed. She had figured he would call an emergency meeting to discuss in detail her encounter with the mysterious man as well as how to proceed. The only problem was sneaking out of the club unnoticed when all girls there were forbidden to go out alone or risk another abduction.

The club closed late as it was and it took another couple of hours for everyone to wind down enough to go to bed. Once Misaki and Miyabi were settled however, they fell asleep with surprising speed. Sakura was a little jealous as she lay listening to their even breathing. She was exhausted as well, but for her, sleep would be some time in coming.

There was the off chance that one of them might wake up and discover her missing, leading to all sorts of complications upon her return and Sakura wasn't willing to take such a risk. Once she was absolutely certain her roommates were asleep, she slipped into the bathroom and made the hand seals for a clone jutsu, producing an identical copy of herself whom she instructed to simply go to bed and carry on normally if she didn't return before the others awoke.

She hoped that wasn't the case because she really wanted to sleep at least a little. She was already in the habit of sleeping until noon. If this kept up, she wouldn't be waking up until three or four in the afternoon.

Her clone left the bathroom and crept back into the room, giving Sakura the chance to escape, sneaking down the stairs and to the front door.

Even though it was incredibly late, or rather, incredibly early in the morning, Dajaku still had the light on in his office. Chances were, he had already seen her coming through the one way window that overlooked the whole room. Her suspicions were confirmed when he appeared in the doorway, looking almost like a disgruntled parent whose child had stayed out too late.

"Leaving at this hour?" he asked skeptically, arms crossed over his chest.

"There's something I have to discuss," she replied, not bothering to mention with whom since there was only one person she could possibly be sneaking out to go see.

"Won't you be missed if they discover you're gone?" he asked, seeming more concerned about her cover being blown than her welfare.

"I've got it covered," she said, sliding the deadbolt from the heavy main doors.

"Just make sure you're back for the show," Dajaku said, walking over to lock up after her.

Sakura nodded before melting into the shadows, a little miffed that he was probably most worried about the money he would lose if she didn't show up to strip for tomorrow's performance. How typical of the money grubbing man.

She was practically invisible in her dark sweats and hooded sweatshirt that hid the brightness of her hair. The sky was once again overcast, allowing almost no starlight to light her way. It didn't really hinder her considering the technologically advanced town had street lamps everywhere, but the artificial light only pushed the shadows away a few feet, allowing her plenty of darkness for cover and she reached Kakashi's motel without drawing the attention of any of the loitering thugs and drunkards that still occasionally cruised the streets.

Stopping in front of the gated entry, she dialed Kakashi's number. It only rang once before he picked it up.

"Hello?"

"I'm here," she said in a hushed whisper.

A click on the other end signaled that he had terminated the call but moments later, his shadowy figure appeared to unlock the gate and let her in, even though she could have punched through the rusty lock with minimal effort.

"You dressed for the occasion I see," he said, noting her oversized clothes.

Sakura rolled her eyes and followed him up the stairs. He should talk. He was dressed in his simple form fitting black tank with attached mask and dark, baggy pants that were probably sweats, although the shirt did cling to him and show off his sculpted body rather nicely. His black eye patch was in place as usual.

"It beats me wearing a bikini doesn't it?" she shot back.

Now that was a topic Kakashi hadn't really wanted to breech tonight. After all, they hadn't had a real face to face conversation since the last time they had tried to secretly share information. Fortunately, or maybe it was unfortunately, Kakashi hadn't decided yet, there was little chance that Sakura's clothes would be coming off this time around.

They held off on conversing anymore until they were inside Kakashi's room with the door safely locked. He offered her the single chair to sit in while he perched at the edge of the bed.

"So, what happened?" the Copy Nin said, jumping straight to the business before things had a chance to get awkward. "And don't leave out anything. Every detail could be important."

Indeed, it was his own lack of attention to detail that had landed them in this mess. If he had been keeping an eye out for kidnappers instead of fixating his gaze on her, he probably would have been able to catch the guy.

Sakura recounted everything as best she could, from what direction he had approached the stage to the amount of money he had handed to her, answering Kakashi's occasional questions as best she could.

"Hmm," he pondered, after she had finished.

Their meeting had been brief and gave little insight to whether he was just a man in the mood for sex or something more sinister. He had to admit however that the fact the man had turned down her dance was a little strange. Even if she wasn't willing to have sex, most men would have settled for what they could get, and rather than proposition another dancer at the club, he had left altogether.

"Did you find out anything about him while you were looking for him?" Sakura asked, folding her hands in her lap tiredly.

"Not a thing. The few people who recognized his description didn't know a thing about him, only that he swings into town now and then and pretty much keeps to himself."

"So he's been here before?" she asked, perking up slightly.

"Yes but nobody could give me a time frame. We have no way of knowing whether he started showing up before, during or after the disappearances."

"Oh," she said, deflating slightly and slumping back into her chair. "And there was no news on that other guy?"

"Other guy?"

"Yeah, the one with a history of abusing women."

Ah, that one. So much had happened since then he had almost forgotten about him.

"Apparently he was in Fuzen Machi several years ago but hadn't returned until now, so he's in the clear. He wasn't around during the kidnappings."

"I see," Sakura said, starting to worry her bottom lip with her teeth, an action Kakashi found quite distracting, especially when the skin plumped and grew pinker as it began to swell.

"Sakura, stop that. You're going to make yourself bleed," he admonished, although he wasn't so worried about that as he was her delicate lips teasing him by looking even more kissable.

The kunoichi promptly stopped and sighed loudly, the sound portraying all the frustration that he too felt at the situation.

"So where do we go from here?" she asked. "What do I do if he comes back and asks me the same question?"

"I don't know," he answered gruffly, and honestly he didn't, and the fact that he didn't have an answer for this situation irritated him. As a team leader, he should have been better prepared.

Sakura misunderstood the anger in his voice and flinched slightly.

"I'm sorry I let him get away," she said softly, bringing her feet up to rest on the edge of her chair as she wrapped her arms around her knees and curled into a little ball. "Maybe I should have just said 'yes' to him. What does a kunoichi need her virginity for anyway? It's done nothing but cause problems for me."

The sadness in her voice was unmistakable, and Kakashi's frustration instantly dissipated, replaced instead with a pang of sorrow that something most girls hoped to treasure was becoming nothing but a burden to his young partner.

"It's alright," he said, lowering his voice to a gentler tone. "I wouldn't expect you to throw away your first time with a stranger."

She still seemed glum, resting her chin forlornly on her knee.

"Still, it was for the good of the mission. I've had tons of other guys ask for sex at the club already. I might as well do it here since once I go back to Konoha, I'll be celibate for the rest of my life."

This conversation was taking a very strange turn and he wasn't sure if it was wise to continue, considering what had happened between them, but Kakashi couldn't help himself from responding.

"And why would you say that?"

"Because the only people who are attracted to me there are Lee and Naruto, neither of whom I plan on sleeping with, and all other guys there view me as their medic, a friend, or simply an annoyance. I don't think anybody there sees me as a woman, at least not an attractive one."

Kakashi scratched the back of his head sheepishly, feeling a little guilty that he hadn't seen her as a woman either until he had seen her half naked and wrapped around a pole, but dear lord, now that he had, he couldn't think of her as anything but a sexy and desirable woman.

"Now Sakura, that's not exactly—"

The kunoichi raised her head to stare it him poignantly in a way that clearly told him to cut the bullshit.

"Ok well…it won't stay that way forever," Kakashi amended. "Someone is bound to have enough sense to wake up and realize what is in front of them."

Sakura hugged her knees a little tightly as her heart began to palpitate faster at his words. She wasn't even sure why he affected her. After all, he could just be spewing empty words trying to make her feel better.

But Kakashi had never been one to give compliments, empty or not. That question that had burned inside her ever since that night resurfaced and she knew that now was a good a time to ask it as any.

"And what is it that you see in front of you now?" she asked softly, daring to looking into his single onyx eye.

At first, he said nothing, choosing his words carefully. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, but he knew telling her that he found her beautiful and sexy and every bit the woman she wanted to be would only complicate their current situation.

"I see traces of the girl that was once my student, but now she's gone and grown up behind my back," Kakashi said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees and returning her gaze evenly.

"So, back when we were in the room together," she continued shyly, casting her eyes downwards as if she didn't have the nerve to ask the question while looking him in the eye. "Were you touching me like that because I was acting the part assigned to me or was it because you really liked what I was doing?"

Kakashi inwardly flinched. He had been dreading this conversation ever since he left the bar that night. But it had to happen sometime, and if he was smart, he would give her an answer that left no room for something like that to happen again, even if it wasn't the truth.

"Sakura, I am a man after all," he replied after a deep breath. "When a woman in a thong grinds on my lap like that, my body is likely to act accordingly. This time, I got a little carried away and I apologize for that. It was inappropriate to touch you in such a way and I promise it won't happen again."

"Oh…I see."

Was it just him or did she actually sound…disappointed?

"Well, that's good then," she said brightly, giving him a smile that was a little too sunny and slightly forced. "Because Tsunade would kill us both if she knew how unprofessional we were being."

She laughed lightly but there was no humor behind it, and he could tell that she was slightly wounded by what he had said. He had made it sound like he would have acted the same way with any other dancer and she shouldn't read into what happened between them as anything significant. He supposed that was exactly what he had been going for, to squelch any thoughts that he desired her specifically and not just what she stood for.

In reality however, it was only too obvious that there was something about his sensuous little teammate that was drawing him in. It was true he might have sprung an erection if another girl had been dancing for him, and he might have whispered words in her ear even dirtier than what he said to Sakura, but he never would have tried to touch her in such a way and he certainly would not have been plagued with sinfully images of her night after night. This condition was caused by Sakura and only Sakura, and certainly would not have occurred with anyone else. His fascination was strictly with her.

But he certainly wasn't going to let her in on this piece of information when he was having such a hard time with it himself.

A minute of awkward silence passed, and then another until the air became thick with the unease between them. Sakura fidgeted in her chair, suddenly incredibly fascinated with a fraying spot in the knee of her sweata, and though the Copy Nin was feeling a little antsy as well, he remained collected and instead did his best to return the conversation to the matter at hand.

"We'll need a plan for the next time Yellow shows up, and I have a strong hunch he'll definitely be dropping by again."

Sakura looked up from her knee.

"Why do you say that?"

"That wad of money he gave you tonight wasn't simply out of the goodness of his heart," he responded, folding his arms over his chest thoughtfully. "Chances are the move was to entice you to reconsider his offer. He'll be back to see if the plan worked, although we can't be sure when."

Sakura looked doubtful.

"But why would he be interested in me of all people?"

"Because you're the newest to the club and he probably finds you quite exotic looking with that hair color of yours," the older man said with a shrug, leaving out the parts about her being drop dead gorgeous and sexy as hell when she was grinding against that pole.

"Exotic?" she said with a roll of her eyes, clearly not buying the thought for a moment.

"Well whatever. The point is that he'll be back and we have to figure out how you're going to get information out of him."

Sakura dropped her feet from the edge of the chair back to the floor and took a deep breath, an air of seriousness settling around her.

"Next time he asks me to sleep with him, I'll do it," she said, her voice quiet but steady. One look in her eyes however told him that the idea scared the hell out of her.

"You don't need to do that," Kakashi said a little too quickly. The thought of a slimy man who made a habit of hanging out in strip clubs touching her made him ball his hands into fists. He was a possible criminal, a kidnapper who took women off to who knows where to do who knows what with them, and a guy like him being Sakura's first was more than he could handle. She didn't deserve to have her first sexual experience consist of a dirty man pawing her in a dark little room where countless men had been pleasured before. She wasn't a plaything or a tool. She deserved gentle hands and lips exploring every inch of her with her own pleasure in mind, someone who wouldn't offer her just a rough fuck or even a round of sweaty sex but someone who would really truly make love to her. However, Kakashi knew that was realistically more than most kunoichi could hope for. If she had to lose her virginity for the good of this mission, she wouldn't be the first Konoha ninja to do so, but he would be damned to stand back and let it happen if there was a way around it.

"But—" she began to protest, but Kakashi held up a hand to silence her.

"That may not be necessary," he said thoughtfully, his brilliant mind already formulating a possible plan. "How is your genjutsu?"

"Genjutsu?" Sakura said in confusion. "You should know better than anyone that I was originally a genjutsu type shinobi. They were the only thing I was good at when I first joined your team."

It was true, he had been her first teacher after she graduated the academy after all and he remembered well how she took to both chakra control and illusion jutsu like a fish to water. Other fighting forms however gave her a little more trouble.

"Think you could master one with a little practice?" he asked, mentally adding, 'Because it could save your cherry,' to the end of it.

After a slight hesitation, she nodded.

"Sure, as long as the jutsu isn't too advanced."

"Good. Here's what I have in mind. What if you were to invite the guy into the back room with you and question him during foreplay?"

He saw a pink flush instantly rise in her cheeks at the word but pressed on anyway.

"Once you have the info you need, you could perform a sleeping jutsu and knock him out while his guard is down, giving you the time to implant false memories of having sex with him into his head via genjutsu. If you supply enough detail, he may not even know the difference."

At first Sakura seemed shocked by the idea, but as the initial surprise wore off, her expression turned thoughtful.

"Do you really think it would work?" she asked skeptically, still looking a little unnerved at the idea.

"I don't see why not," he replied. "As long as you make the memories vivid and include sensory detail. Unless they're a highly skilled shinobi, I doubt they'd bother to question it as long as they feel satisfied."

Sakura swallowed hard. Kakashi made it sound so easy but he seemed to forget that with her current lack of experience, including minute details to make such a jutsu believable might be a little problematic for her.

She needed practice all right, but as it was now, she wasn't even prepared to test it out on even the lowest level thug without making sure she was even capable of such a thing. She needed to try it out on someone who could give her some pointers on how to make it better, and that left only one person, although it made butterflies materialize in her stomach at the mere thought of it.

"Lay back," she said, her voice holding more resolution than she actually felt.

She stood from her chair, making her way alongside the bed.

"Huh?" Kakashi said, staring at her dumbly, clearly not understanding her intentions.

"I want to practice on you," Sakura said, trying to keep the shyness out of her voice. "But I can't do it unless you lay down."

"What? Right now?"

It seemed her partner wasn't entirely comfortable with this situation either, but that was just too bad. There was no other person in this town that she trusted enough to practice this on and she knew he would give her valid pointers on how to improve the technique and make it believable. However, she had a sneaking suspicion projecting images of them having passionate sex wasn't going to help the awkward situation between them.

"Yes, right now," Sakura sighed, managing to keep her voice firm despite her trepidation. "It's a pain to sneak out of that club and I'm already here so we might as well."

Those were facts that Kakashi couldn't argue with but it did nothing to soothe his rising panic. Clearly he had not been thinking this through when he said she should practice. He had assumed she would use it on low level thugs and civilians who perused the clubs and bars looking for a piece of ass. Now he had gone and backed himself into a corner leaving him to choice but to comply with her wishes and let her use him as a guinea pig.

A part of him was excited knowing this was the closest to having sex with the woman before him as he would get. But another, more rational part of him was quite aware that the memories she would implant would no doubt exacerbate his fixation with her exponentially. He had just gotten through convincing himself he was finished with thinking of her that way, whether it was true or not but now, that theory would be efficiently blown to pieces.

He took a deep breath to calm himself and settled back, getting comfortable as Sakura crawled onto the bed and kneeled at his side.

"Ok, what do I do?" she asked, resting her hands on her knees and looking at him expectantly.

He showed her the series of hand signs, which fortunately was a short one compared to some of the incredibly lengthy ones she had seen for some genjutsu.

Tiger. Ox. Dragon. Dog. Tiger.

Once she had mastered the signs, Kakashi continued.

"Trap me in a sleep jutsu first and then perform the one I just showed you. Summon your chakra to your finger tips and place them at my temples and from there, implant the memories via chakra transfer. Include every detail you can because that will make it more realistic."

Sakura nodded, signaling she understood.

"Alright," Kakashi said, settling back against the pillows and waiting for her to begin.

The kunoichi made the hand signs for the sleep jutsu she knew so well. She used it often to help patients get to sleep when they were in too much pain to do so otherwise. Her fingers immediately glowed a soft green and she touched them softly to her sensei's forehead, watching his single eye slide shut as drowsiness overtook him. His breathing instantly evened out and his muscles went slack, signaling that he was indeed asleep.

Well, the easy part was over. Now came the real challenge. She leaned to hover over him but discovered the position was slightly awkward since she was on one side of him. Straddling him would make things a whole lot easier.

She looked at his peaceful form for a moment, debating whether or not she should.

Oh what the hell, it's not like he was going to know about it anyway; he was sound asleep.

She slung a thigh over his hips so that a knee rested on either side of his slender body. Immediately she could feel his body heat through her own clothing and the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath her. He was hard and toned; all firm muscle and dormant strength and the feel of her pelvis resting against his made her heart palpitate like a moth trapped in her chest.

Now that she had the chance, she examined her teacher's sleeping form without reciprocated scrutiny, placing her hands timidly on his chest to steady herself as she gazed at him. Her eyes swept over his face but there wasn't much to see. It was always covered by…

The mask! She could peek under his mask! It simply wasn't right that he had been her teacher for so long and yet she didn't even know what he looked like. Now she finally had the chance to see what had intrigued both her and her team mates the entire time they spent on Team Kakashi together.

She reached out to him but hesitated. Was it really ok to take advantage of him like this? There must be some reason why he was so adamant about keeping his face covered, and yet he was so secretive that he wouldn't even tell her why. Without a legitimate reason to hold her back, why shouldn't she take a little peek?

Besides, she could always argue that she needed details for the jutsu and she was just gathering required information.

Cautiously, she hooked her fingers under the dark material and eased it down over his nose, inch by inch until it hung loosely beneath his chin. It was then that Sakura's breath caught in her throat.

There before her, at last, was the long awaited vision of her sensei's face.

To her surprise, he didn't look nearly as old as she had always pictured him to be. In fact, some of his features were maybe a little boyish, balanced out by a strong jaw line, aristocratic cheek bones and of course, wild silver hair that made him look ages older than he actually was. His skin was smooth and clear, marred only by the angry scar running from his brow to his cheek through the eye that was still covered by the eye patch. Eager to see all of his face, she pushed that away as well, revealing the eye closed in peaceful slumber. He had a slight tan line from his mask, but it was nearly faded thanks to the absence of sun in this place. He was pale, but not unattractively so and she found herself unable to look away, as if she might wake up and realize she hadn't really seen his face at all.

He looked serene and peaceful under her spell and she wondered if he was ever equally tranquil while awake. She hoped so, because right now she couldn't help but think that the man laid out in front of her was absolutely gorgeous.

Without really thinking, she let her hand cup his cheek gently, thumb tracing the raised scar below his eye with awed fascination. His skin was warm against her fingers and she found herself noting that it must be some sort of crime to keep a face like this constantly hidden from view. Kakashi was incredibly handsome, but not in the traditional rugged sense. His features were more refined, and she imagined he would look at home even amongst the upper-class and the well-bred. The hand on his cheek slid lower to his jaw which had a dusting of stubble that was the same silver as the hair on his head. She brushed her thumb lightly over the alluring swell of his lips and found them to be warm and soft. Her heart began to pound as she wondered what they would feel like against her own.

Sure it was wrong, but she would never have a chance like this again. Besides, what they had done in the seedy little back room was wrong too, and yet, it had undoubtedly been the most erotic and invigorating experience she had ever had with a man. With him asleep and unaware, who was going to stop her?

Slowly, she lowered her face to his until they were nose to nose. She could feel his warm breath puffing evenly against her cheek and ran her tongue over her own parted lips in anticipation before sinking the final few inches to brush her lips against his, feeling the silky texture slide across her skin.

Even though he was unresponsive, a spark sizzled up and down her spine at the contact. She wanted to taste more of him and was tempted to slide her tongue past his lips to help herself while she had the chance, when Kakashi murmured against her mouth and shifted slightly beneath her, causing her to jerk back in alarm and fear that he had awoken.

She waited atop him, sitting bolt upright and stiff, waiting for him to open his eyes and ask what the hell she was doing on top of him but it appeared he had only stirred in his sleep, for he continued to breathe deeply and evenly without any other indications that he was about to wake up.

Oh god, she had just kissed Kakashi! And she had liked it! She couldn't even really say why she had done it other than on pure impulse. She had never thought of him as anything but a mentor before this trip and now she was running around giving him lap dances, tugging off his mask and kissing him while he was asleep.

Although a slight smile tugged at her lips when she thought of how she finally knew what her teacher really looked like. Naruto and Sasuke would be so jealous if they only knew.

She waited a moment more, making sure that Kakashi would remain asleep before letting out a breath she hadn't even known she had been holding. As much as she wanted to keep staring at his beautiful face, she figured it was time to get down to business.

She slipped the eye patch back over his eye and tugged his mask back into place before making the five signs he had shown her and summoning the chakra to her fingertips.

Gingerly, she touched the pads of her fingers to his temples and let her chakra slip beneath the surface of his skin and into the nerves and synapses that made up his brain. There, she began to insert imagery of all kinds; sights, smells, touch, sounds, all the sensations she could conjure up in her fictional scenario of what would happen if the clothes separating them melted away along with their inhibitions.

She found the task a little more difficult than she had planned. She had hardly summoned her chakra since she arrived in Fuzen Machi and the meticulous and precise process of working on Kakashi's brain was making it quite apparent that she was out of practice. She didn't even want to think about how much her combat skills had suffered.

Beneath her, she could feel his heart began to beat faster in his chest, no doubt in response to the graphic stimulus she was sending him. Her own breath was coming in short pants as she tried to imagine the sensation of her fingers dragging over his well sculpted body and transmitted the fictional information into her sensei's brain.

She was now incredibly grateful for the erotica books Kitsune had insisted she borrow. After her encounter with Tsurenai, she had returned to her room and read through the rest of the book she had started that morning, although that time, she had refrained from any inappropriate fantasizing about her teacher or touching herself. Though she had been incredibly hot and bothered by the time she was done, her knowledge of what could be done in bed besides sleeping had grown immensely, and now she was putting that newfound knowledge to use.

The feel of skin on skin, her hand around his length, her back arching in pleasure, the tight, liquid feeling of him inside her, all of these things she projected into his memory as best she could, using her imagination to fill in the gaps that the book and her own inexperience left. Even though she was trying very hard to concentrate solely on the task at hand, she felt her own body reacting to her thoughts and the fact she was straddling him didn't help. The space between her thighs was beginning to grow hot and every time she shifted she would rub against his body. The aching sensation inside her was enough to make her wonder what other parts of his body she could explore while he was asleep, but she would never go that far. Sneaking a look at his face was bad enough because in a way, she had violated him. However, it was possible he would never know, considering all of his memories were from his perspective and he naturally wouldn't be seeing his own face. He wouldn't know she had burned every detail of him into her memory. The kiss too, would be her secret alone.

With the last memory implanted, the glowing chakra at her fingertips faded away and she reluctantly moved off of him, her body instantly missing his warmth and the dull throb between her legs yearning for more contact. Now all she had to do was wake him up.

She sat beside him cross legged, facing the headboard and his sleeping face. Grudgingly, she placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him gently, not really wanting to disturb his slumber when he looked so peaceful, especially with what he was in for next.

He was unnaturally slow in waking, his shinobi reflexes dulled by her sleeping jutsu, and it took a moment for his eye to flutter open and for him to get his bearings. His single eye came to rest on her as recollections of what she was doing in his motel room came back to him.

"Sakura?" he mumbled sleepily, wondering why she hadn't implanted the memories into him, when suddenly the delayed response hit him and everything she had transferred into his brain came to the surface all at once.

Sakura watched his eye widen as the effects of what she had done finally caught up with him and she knew that right about now, he was living out the fantasy she had created.

At first, the images were jumbled, but like any other memory, he was able to sort them out. At first there were just visions and sensations, Sakura's naked body, the silkiness of her skin under his fingers, pink hair splayed out on his pillow, her arms embracing him as she cried out in pleasure. But then as things began to solidify, he felt his jaw go slack. Just where the hell had she learned the details about doing things like that?

The fantasy started the moment she had put him out, making it seem like instead of falling asleep, other events took place. She leaned in shyly, plump lips parted slightly as she pressed them to his, deepening the kiss almost immediately as her hands moved to tug at the hem of his tank impatiently. In moments, the clothing between them was peeled away, revealing her beautiful body to him and even the false memory of her naked form was enough to make his heart beat faster and his blood rush to an area below his waist. Then she was on top of him, kissing him hungrily as her hand came to encircle a very stiff part of his anatomy, squeezing it teasingly before pumping up and down his length. She alternated long smooth strokes with rubbing her fingers over the head, lubricating him with the beads of moisture leaking from the tip.

Kakashi's eyes turned to the real Sakura sitting before him, watching him expectantly. She had implanted a handjob? Pure, inexperienced Sakura was giving him a handjob? His cock twitched in his pants as he wondered just what had inspired her to do such a thing and what other sexual acts she had logged away in her brain.

The memory was a little vague on how it had felt, only that it had been quite good, but when she finally abandoned him with her hand and instead moved to straddle him, she had been quite explicit with the imagery of her own body, making every curve vivid in his mind.

And good god was she gorgeous.

Her pale skin was so smooth, stretched taunt over hard muscle but soft in all the right places, and when she steadied herself with her palms on his chest and lowered herself onto him, his cock was at full attention in his pants, uncomfortably stiff in the confined space.

However, when she began to move atop him, things grew a little fuzzy. Soft sounds of pleasure escaped her lips but he couldn't see her lips form them, in fact, her face blurred in and out of focus the whole time. This was fine considering most of the guys she would be with didn't give a damn about her face, but Kakashi had always found the sight of a woman's face contorted in pleasure could be almost as satisfying as his own release. He always watched the faces of his partners, but Sakura had no way of knowing that and probably didn't even know how she would look in the throes of passion anyway. The faded and blurry spots in the illusion could simply be blamed on alcohol or even the haze of lust so Kakashi wasn't too worried about it. She continued riding him to completion, her firm muscles working as she bounced up and down, breath coming in erratic pants and moans until she finally threw her head back and cried out a moment before he exploded within her and filled her with his seed with a groan.

The jutsu had worked well as far as he could see. If he was a man just looking for a fuck, he probably wouldn't question any slight discrepancies as long as he felt satisfied afterwards. The only problem was that he didn't. There was no post-coital glow, no sleepy relaxation. He didn't feel like he had just had sex and that was a definite problem.

"So?" Sakura asked nervously. "How was it? Did it work?"

Kakashi tried to pull himself together, ignoring the massive erection in his pants as best he could even though it throbbed painfully and his fingers itched to touch her and see if she was as smooth and soft as her memories made her out to be.

"For the most part. The memories you created were good. The biggest flaw is that I don't feel satisfied. Men are bound to ask questions if the sex didn't leave them feeling like they had an orgasm, especially if they are paying a lot of money for it."

"Oh," she said, her brow creasing in a frown as she thought over the dilemma. "So what should I do?"

Kakashi sat up, folding his hands in his lap as he casually tried to hide the large bulge there. Fortunately he didn't think she had noticed it.

"Well, is there a technique you've learned in your medical training you could use? Some sort of muscle relaxer and endorphin releaser would probably recreate the feeling the best."

Sakura was thoughtful a moment, chewing her bottom lip again before nodding.

"Yeah, I think I can do that, although I don't really know how it feels to be a guy after an orgasm."

She giggled nervously at her own joke, the tension of the situation obviously getting to her a little.

Kakashi was on the verge of telling her that it was probably a whole lot like being a girl after an orgasm and if there was any question as to how that felt, he'd gladly strip her naked and show her right this moment.

Fortunately his brain was able to tell his mouth to shut up before he said anything that earned him a bone shattering punch or broke the important thread of trust weaved between them.

"Ok, let me try again," she said, pushing him back down on the bed with a palm to his chest. That gesture alone made the shinobi's heart race as he thought about her pushing him into the sheets for entirely difference reasons. "I need the practice anyway. My skills have deteriorated a little since I never get to use them."

"That's not very reassuring," Kakashi said warily. She was working on his brain after all.

"No, it's fine. Don't worry," Sakura laughed. "It's just that I wish I had more opportunities to use my chakra and maybe even to spar a little. I feel like I'm getting rusty without practicing every now and then."

Kakashi could relate. He had actually gone to the outskirts of town to some of the more rural and abandoned areas for a little training himself. It was his duty to keep himself in top condition as a weapon of Konoha and he could understand Sakura's frustration.

"I'm going to put you to sleep again so just relax," she announced, moving closer to him and rising up on her knees as she made the hand signs for the simple jutsu.

Just before her cool hands went to his brow, he caught a scent lingering in the air. It was faint, which was why he hadn't noticed it before, but since Sakura had moved closer he could definitely smell it now. It was the same spicy musk that had overwhelmed him both at the inn all those weeks ago and again in the club. It was deliciously enticing and made him want to pull her down and roll her over on her back and carry out all the naughty fantasies that had been revolving around her ever since he had first caressed her body during the "lesson" he had given her. It wasn't surprising since the smell was pure pheromones released by her body. She was aroused, no doubt from having to conjure up images of herself screwing his brains out, but was that just her body's natural response or did it mean something more? Perhaps the idea of having sex with him really did excite her. What if she had been wanting him as badly as he had been wanting her? The thought opened all sorts of doorways that his stubborn mind immediately tried to slam shut. Whether she wanted him or not was irrelevant. He wouldn't take advantage of his inexperienced student. She only wanted him because she was curious about sex, because she was still young and naïve and didn't know better than to be fascinated by a dirty old man like himself. Even so, Kakashi couldn't help but wonder. What if she really did want him?

And then her fingers brushed his forehead and he fell into a mercifully deep sleep, his rampant thoughts and emotions immediately cut short.

With Kakashi out like a light, Sakura once again straddled his hips to get a better angle on what she was working with, but as soon as her weight settled over his pelvis, she gasped softly.

There was something hard and hot poking her that certainly hadn't been there when she was working on him before.

Apparently her fictional scenario had affected her sensei more than he had let on and he was now sporting a massive erection, one that rubbed against her own arousal when she straddled him like she was currently doing. The only thing separating her body from his, were the layers of clothes they both wore.

Sakura's mind immediately wandered to dirtier territory, wondering how it would feel to have him against her without the barrier of fabric between them. If that were the case, Kakashi was so deep asleep that she could probably even slip him inside her and satiate both her curiosity and lust without ever waking him. The idea was absolutely absurd considering that those actions would be rape. She almost giggled aloud at the thought of a woman raping a man and Kakashi of all people before shaking her head violently to clear the images, knowing there was something very wrong with her for even thinking about such things in the first place.

She shifted her body slightly, settling on straddling his stomach instead of his hips so she wouldn't be simultaneously poked and tempted by the hard bulge in his pants and got to work.

The first jutsu was fairly simple and was one she sometimes used on patients with horribly tight muscles. She made the hand signs and placed glowing green palms on her partner's chest once more, letting her chakra seep below his skin and disperse throughout his body. She closed her eyes and concentrated, targeting his muscles with the green energy and sucking the tension from them.

From the muscles to his neck right down to his toes and out to his fingertips, she made sure not a single bunched muscle fiber remained.

As she worked, he actually let out a pleasured hum as he relaxed under her and practically melted into the mattress. Even in sleep, he was feeling the effects of her jutsu and was obviously enjoying the results. Interestingly enough, her actions relaxed another part of his body as well, for the erection in his pants had disappeared. The process took nearly ten minutes to complete, for not only did Kakashi have a lot of muscle, but an incredible amount of tension as well.

With that done, she moved onto the next order of business. Stimulating endorphins was something she had never done before but she imagined it was the same as ordering the production of any other hormone.

Her eyes remained shut as she searched his body for the glands that produced the chemicals and surrounded them with her chakra. The energy excited the glands and encouraged them to produce their products faster and within moments, she had every endorphin factory in his body working overtime until an adequate amount had been produced.

With the job done, she let her chakra dissipate and the glands returned to normal. Carefully, she unstraddled him and kneeled at his side, taking his pulse and checking other vitals to make sure her invasion hadn't disturbed anything important. It seemed he was perfectly fit and would wake up feeling relaxed and thoroughly satisfied. She was just about to wake him up when another idea came to her. It wasn't necessary but it would certainly add to the realism of the situation if Kakashi was supposed to awaken feeling like he had just had a bout of steamy sex.

She lifted the hem of Kakashi's tank top, exposing rock hard abs beneath pale skin that was flecked with scars of varying severity. She let her fingers ghost over the chiseled musculature, feeling the bumps and irregularities of his scars. He was warm and smooth, the muscle firm beneath her touch and again she was filled with ideas that weren't exactly appropriate, especially when concerning her long time teacher and current mission partner.

Brushing her impure thoughts aside, she concentrated on pushing her chakra into him and letting it flood his skin. Her energy shimmered over his body, temporarily tinting him green as she worked to stimulate superficial glands. In a few moments, her work was done and the energy faded away, leaving a thin sheen of sweat over Kakashi's skin. Now he would wake up relaxed, satisfied and sweaty as if he had just finished making love to her.

She placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him, causing him to grumble as he regained full consciousness.

As soon as his eye focused on her, she smiled.

"How do you feel?"

Kakashi took a moment to evaluate his body. In a word, he felt good, really good. He couldn't remember ever feeling this relaxed, and the endorphins she had released were no doubt contributing the delicious glow he was feeling. Even the sweat over his body felt good because it made him feel that this euphoric feeling had truly been achieved by Sakura riding him into next week.

"I feel like I've just had a fantastic round of sex," he said, unable to stop the lazy smile from forming under his mask. "The sweat is a nice touch by the way,"

"Thanks," Sakura giggled, blushing slightly. "I thought it might add to the realism. Sorry, but you'll probably need a shower now."

"That's fine," Kakashi murmured, feeling too good to care about something like that. This was undoubtedly the best post-sex glow he had ever had, and he hadn't even had the actual sex. He wondered if he truly had experienced Sakura humping up and down on him, if he still would have felt this wonderful afterwards.

He decided almost immediately that it didn't matter how fuzzy he felt afterwards. Seeing Sakura in mid orgasm for real would be the most wonderful thing he had ever seen.

"So, do you think it will work?" Sakura asked, untucking her legs from under her and flopping down on the bed besides him, feeling slightly drained after using so much chakra.

Kakashi pondered the question a moment, carefully assessing his body for anything a fellow shinobi might find strange.

"As long as he's jounin level or lower, he probably won't ask questions. He'll feel too damn good to worry about trivial details. Someone ANBU level who was suspicious to begin with might find some flaws in the memory composition, but even then, the afterglow is so strong, they probably won't be able to put the pieces together until much later. I'd say you're ready to try this jutsu on someone in the club."

Sakura nodded silently, trying not to let her nerves get to her. She would have to invite the man into her booth and interrogate him as she rid them both of their clothing. She'd still have to touch him and make him believe she fully intended to have sex with him. It would be so much easier if she could just get her answers and then knock him out. She knew by now however that nothing was ever that easy.

Finally laying down made her realize how tired she was. It was probably only a few hours from dawn and she hadn't slept at all. She needed to get back to the club and dispose of her clone so she could get to bed. It already looked like Kakashi was well on his way to drifting off.

"Kakashi," she said softly.

"Hmm?" came his sleepy reply.

"I'm going to go. I'll lock the door on my way out."

"Hmm."

She smiled at his uncharacteristic laziness, no doubt caused by her jutsu and sat up, swinging her legs off the bed and heading for the door. He didn't say anything else, not even as she closed the door behind her and headed down the dark corridor of cracked plaster and peeling paint.

As she walked away, she couldn't help feeling relieved that things were ok between them despite what had happened at the club. It seemed he just had gotten carried away and his hands had acted on their own. Hell, it could have been any other girl and the results probably would have been the same.

For some reason, the knowledge saddened her a little. For once in her life, it would have been nice to be special, even if it was just to her dirty old sensei…who she now knew really didn't look that old under the mask. In fact, his face belonged on the cover of a magazine somewhere considering how attractive he was, even with the scar bisecting his cheek.

She smiled as she emerged into the night, hugging herself more to try and contain her jumble of joyous emotions than to protect herself from the cold air.

"I wonder if he knows I peeked?" she thought aloud as she made her way back to the club.

Whether he was aware or not, she was glad she had done it, even if it was a bit underhanded. Things that beautiful weren't meant to be hidden away forever.

XXXXX

The following night, Sakura was far more nervous about performing than usual. She was planning to test out her jutsu on someone other than Kakashi and even though they had established that it was probable that it would be a success, she couldn't help but worry about the possibilities of being found out.

She sat in the dressing room, her foot tapping nervously as she applied her makeup, which by now was second nature to her. She had just finished painting her lips a shimmering pink that matched her hair when she felt eyes on her and glanced over to find Kitsune watching her with an amused smirk.

"You're jittery," she said, crossing her arms over her ample bosom which was barely contained by a sparkly fuchsia push-up bra. "What's the occasion Hana? You've done this a hundred times already."

"I know," Sakura sighed, reaching for her tube of mascara and watching Kitsune in her makeup mirror as the redhead moved behind her. "But I had a guy ask me for sex last night and the offer made me think about what good money it would be if I accepted, so tonight, I think I'm going to try it."

That wasn't the truth at all of course, but she was hesitant to go into further detail since it related directly to her mission. Besides, it seemed like enough of an explanation for her fellow dancer.

"Oh honey you'll be fine," Tora said, overhearing the conversation. "Just make sure you're the one that's in charge and not whatever slobbering pig you decide to bed. Just keep your eyes on the prize and up the price whenever you can."

"O…k…?" Sakura said, feeling even more uneasy. Tora's hatred of men was no secret but when she put it like that, she couldn't help but feel like this would be nothing but pure torture.

Then again, her true objective had nothing to do with money.

"Don't listen to her," Kitsune said flippantly. "It's true most of the guys are grabby and stupid. They only care about sticking it in and getting their fix, but every now and then you'll get a man who really knows his way around a girl's body and might just blow your mind."

Her eyes got dreamy for a moment and Sakura remembered the moans she had heard while with Kakahsi. She wondered if Kitsune had been with such a man on that particular occasion.

"Whatever," Tora said with a roll of her eyes, adjusting the strap on her halter top that couldn't have been more than four inches of azure fabric stretched taut over her breasts. "Just don't let him talk you into anything you don't want to do, especially if he's not willing to pay a bundle for it."

With that, she walked away, her high heeled shoes clicking on the cement floor.

Kistune smirked mischievously at Tora's barely clothed backside before redirecting her attention to the pink haired woman.

"Hey, if you want some tips to make sure you'll have return customers, I can show you a couple next time we get bananas from the store. There's this one that sets men off every time. It's a little tricky to get your tongue moving the right way but with a little practice, I'm sure you'll have it down."

"Uh…ok," Sakura said, trying not to flush crimson at the thought of deep-throating a banana. Really, did this girl have no shame?

"Two minutes ladies," Dajaku announced, sticking his head in the dressing room and letting his eyes linger far longer than necessary on the bare skin before him. Sakura narrowed her eyes when his gaze shifted to her, daring him to keep staring at her like a piece of meat. Her intimidation tactic worked because his silvery eyes quickly shifted to another bare body before he ducked out and left them alone.

She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth from the light bulbs lining her makeup mirror on her face. She heaved a sigh and let her eyes flutter open, fixing on her transformed reflection in the mirror briefly before bending to buckle her four inch heels. They were an alluring emerald green, the same color as her satiny top and thong.

She sure hoped this little plan went off without a hitch because she certainly wasn't ready to perform any tricks tonight that could be practiced on a banana.

XXXXX

She found a potential man to practice on immediately. Not only was he wandering the club staring at all the girls as if he were removing their already skimpy outfits in his mind, he was carrying around what looked like a notebook and kept writing something in it, as if he were taking copious notes on all the performers. If that wasn't suspicious, Sakura didn't know what was.

As soon as there was a break between songs, she casually made her way into the audience, brushing off anyone else who approached her as she neared the bar where he was currently sitting…right next to Kakashi.

It was obviously a coincidence and Sakura cursed her bad luck. She was nervous enough without having the older man scrutinize her performance, but she sauntered up to the strange man anyway, acting for all the world like she was oblivious to everyone else.

The man looked skittish and insecure, obviously surprised at being approached by the pink haired woman. His beady eyes widened slightly as they fixed on her and his mousy brown mustache twitched as if it was a sensory organ that could help him perceive the world around him. He looked frail and meek and a little out of place among all the burly men milling around the club.

"Hey honey," she breathed in a carefully cultivated voice that oozed seduction. "Looking for some company?"

He glanced around as if he couldn't believe he was the one she was talking to, but when her eyes remained fixed on him expectantly, he realized that yes, she really was directing her question towards him.

"Um…n-not particularly," he stammered, seeming a little shaken by Sakura's presence.

The observant kunoichi noticed Kakashi's visible eye narrow slightly, but not in suspicion. She was willing to bet tonight's tips that a very amused smirk was hiding under the layers of scarves wrapped over his mouth.

"Why is that? You'd rather take notes on all of us and then go home with your little book to keep you company?"

She pressed in even closer, making sure her body rubbed up against him slightly. He felt it and stiffened, obviously not at all comfortable with the situation.

"I-I wasn't taking notes," the man said a little defensively. "I was just…"

"Just?" Sakura prompted, leaning in to inspect what was written on the pages before he could shield it from her view. The act conveniently pressed her breast into his shoulder and there was nowhere for him to go to escape it.

To the kunoichi's surprise, it wasn't writing she found on the pages of his notebook but sketches, rough sketches of all the dancers in various poses. Some were more anatomical while others focused on details of the face. None of them seemed overtly sexual and all of them were very well done.

"Oh!" she breathed in surprise, delighted and a little intrigued by his pictures. "You're an artist?"

"Not really," the man mumbled. "I just like to draw sometimes."

"I see," Sakura said, craning her neck to look at the sketches some more but the man had already collected his pages and hidden them in his shabby brown coat that only added to his mousy image.

"Um…sorry," he said, looking like he was about ready to scuttle for the door but she leaned in to keep him firmly pressed between herself and the bar.

"Now there's no need for being sorry," she murmured, glossy lips a hair's breadth from his ear. "If you want, I can give you something better than just a picture to remember me by."

The man gasped and Sakura almost felt bad for what she was about to do. The man was obviously had little finesse around women and she wouldn't be surprised if he had never had sex in his life. Then again, if that was the case, she wasn't really going to steal his virginity away.

"Come with me," she cooed, wrapping slender fingers around his wrist and tugging him after her towards the booths. The man followed without much resistance, and when she glanced back, she found he was looking at her with shy curiosity, but as soon as their eyes met, he looked away. Beyond him, Kakashi remained seated at the bar, his head casually turned in their direction. She wondered if he was internally laughing at her predicament. Knowing her lazy sensei, he almost certainly found the scene entertaining.

Juu was standing in front of the booths as always, nodding to Misaki with a warm smile as she pulled a man of her own into a room for a lapdance. When his dark eyes shifted to her, he gave her a toothy and foolish smile.

"Hello Hana," he said in a rumbling baritone. "The second booth is free if you want it."

"Actually, I'll take the one on the end if nobody is using it," she replied, shooting her uncomfortable looking captive a knowing smile.

Juu looked back and forth from her to the vacant booth a few times with a stupefied expression before nodding dumbly.

"Yeah, it's free."

Sakura didn't say anything else. She just dragged the man after her into the tiny room that barely had enough room for the bed and the shallow chest of draws next to it. One door was slightly ajar and she could see condoms and a bottle of lubricant inside. She had no idea what else the drawers contained and was honestly a little afraid to contemplate it.

She turned to the man who was looking around nervously as if he couldn't quite figure out just how he had ended up in such a place, small eyes darting about the confined space.

"Now, before we get started, there's the matter of payment," she smiled, walking over to him with an exaggerated swish of her shapely hips.

The man fumbled for his wallet and produced several bills that added up to a reasonable amount for what they were supposedly about to do. She had heard the other girls naming their prices for various tasks and his offer seemed within range.

She carefully logged away the information, noting that it conflicted with the man's shy personality. Maybe he had done this before.

Sakura plucked the money from the man's fingers and gathered the rest that had been stuffed into her panties, garter and even under the straps of her bikini top. She arranged them into a neat stack and placed them on the nightstand. Her clothes were coming off anyway so her money would need a place to stay in the mean time.

Outwardly, she appeared cool and calm and ever the seductress, but it was only because she was carefully controlling her jittery nerves. The fact that this guy seemed shy and nearly as nervous as she made things easier, but she still remained on guard.

"Let's do something about this shall we?" she said, stepping forward to tug on his coat playfully.

She made her way behind him and was soon slipping the garment off his shoulders and down his arms. The long sleeved shirt he wore beneath was a similar brown color and she wasted no time in untucking its hem from his pants and running her fingers over his bare skin.

"Take it off," she whispered.

The man hastily did as she asked while she reached around and deftly undid his belt before spinning him around and pushing him towards the bed.

"Lay down," she purred and the man complied, dark eyes watching her as he sunk onto the bed, moving with all the grace of a feline cornering a trembling mouse. However, what the man didn't know is that inwardly, she was trembling as well.

Now that she had him all laid out and ready for her, she realized she might have been a little hasty. She still knew nothing about him and she should have utilized her time better in asking questions while undressing him.

"So, what's your name baby?" she asked as she moved over him, still clothed in her emerald attire, shoes and all.

"N-Nezu Mishoku," he stuttered, still tongue tied as he raptly watched her settle over him, no doubt liking what he saw.

"Nezu? That's a nice name," she whispered, lowered her body onto him and immediately feeling the hardness of his erection against her stomach. She tried not to flinch at the feeling. She had felt plenty of erections pressed against her during lapdances, but this was the first time she was actually going to see it, touch it without clothing separating their bodies. He apparently was already rearing to go despite all his shyness, but the kunoichi wasn't quite done with questioning him yet.

"What brings you all the way to Fuzen Machi," she cooed as her fingers began to trace patterns over his pale and slightly pudgy stomach. "Surely you didn't come all the way here just to draw pictures."

The man's eyes fluttered closed at the sensation of her cool fingers tickling his skin.

"I was here to meet with a client," was all he said before sighing breathily as her index finger circled his navel.

"Oh, a client?" she murmured, feigning innocent excitement as her fingers dipped briefly beneath the waistband of his pants. "What kind of business are you in?"

Touching this man was like going against every instinct she had. She didn't want to run her fingers over his skin or shift against his erection. She wanted to get the hell out of here and away from this timid and unattractive man, but she forced herself to keep her emotions in check and did her best to pretend that she was enjoying every moment of this.

Nezu breathed in sharply when her fingers slipped under his pants again, this time venturing low enough to brush against coarse, wiry hairs. Apparently he had foregone underwear today.

Was that just a coincidence or was he planning on ending up in bed with a woman tonight?

"I-I…"

Apparently her actions were making it harder for him to think. That's exactly what Sakura wanted because he was more likely to slip up and spill any crucial information he had if he was thinking with the head in his pants and not the one on his neck.

"I'm an intermediary for my boss," the man finally finished as her hand slipped free of his pants and began to slide the zipper tab down.

"Is that so," she asked as if the conversation was the most interesting she had ever had, watching his face carefully to check for signs that he was lying and to take her mind off what her hand was touching. His eyes were closed and his breath was coming in short, harsh pants. He didn't seem to be holding anything back.

"So what do you transport between the client and your boss, baby?" she whispered as she began to edge his pants down over his hips. "Information? Money? Beautiful women?"

Her last suggestion seemed to make him pause and he opened his eyes to look at her curiously.

Sakura merely smiled back, biting her lip slightly as she gave one last tug, allowing his erection to spring free of his pants. She left his pants bunched around his knees, partly because she knew she wouldn't be able to get them over his boots and partly because they immobilized him. The man seemed harmless enough but she didn't want him making any sudden moves.

He seemed hesitant in his answer and Sakura knew he would need more motivation to speak. She didn't want to have to touch him like this but she had few options.

With a shaky breath, she grasped him in her hand, feeling his shaft pulse hot against her fingers. She swallowed back her nervousness and disgust as she gave a light squeeze which caused him to moan softly, head turning restlessly on the grubby pillow.

This wasn't the first time she had seen this particular part of the male anatomy. The hospital gave her plenty of opportunities to see male genitalia, most of them flaccid but a few erect. She was by no means an authority on the matter, but when compared to her modest knowledge of the average shape and size, she found him to be a bit under average and certainly none too impressive. However, considering this was the first time she had taken a man in her hands and touched him intimately without clothing in the way, she was more concerned with loosening his tongue than sizing him up.

And it appeared her objective was working.

His hands had fisted in the mattress as his body tensed. A small strangled sound escaped his throat as she began to move her hand up and down, pumping him gently as she tried to wheedle more info out of him.

"Come on, what's the big secret? Who is a girl like me going to tell?"

When he still seemed reluctant, she leaned forward without releasing him from her hand and whispered, "If you can't even tell me something like this, how do you expect to be comfortable when you're inside me?"

He was hard and hot, a strange juxtaposition of soft and rigid. She let her thumb slide over the head of him, smearing the milky liquid that had accumulated there around the swollen tip. The thought of what she was actually touching grossed her out a little but she had done worse things before. She just had to keep calm and maintain composure because she knew the little mouse beneath her was on the verge of cracking. It would all be over soon anyway.

"My boss deals in opium," he whispered, his voice sounding strained as she ran her thumb over his tip again.

Bingo.

"Is that so? How exciting?" Sakura cooed.

She wasn't disappointed that he probably wasn't involved in the kidnapping, If he had been, she would have been surprised to discover a timid man like him had a hand in stealing away the Wet Dreams' dancers. It was the fact that she had exerted power over him to get him to talk, and not by threatening him with her fists. She had seduced him and he had fallen prey to her womanly wiles. Sure she had done it before while on this mission but now she held his most vulnerable part in her hand and he had talked because of it. The power was enough to make the act just a little less revolting.

"Is he a big name in the business?" she asked as she continued stroking him gently, curious to see just how much information she could squeeze out of him. Now that he was actually talking, she could focus more on his words than on the flesh she gripped in her hand.

"People have heard of him," he uttered in a choked moan, thrusting his hips slightly against her hand.

When he didn't go on, she squeezed him with a little more aggression.

"What's his name?"

He left out a soft cry, his back arching slightly against her ministrations.

"Kitakawa," he gasped mindlessly. "Temaki Kitakawa."

Indeed, Sakura had heard of the man. He was big in the underworld. He was some big shot in Rock Country who made millions dealing the opium that was produced in the northern borders of Grass. He had numerous high level shinobi working for him, some that were even in bingo books, making him hard to stop. Sakura didn't know the details of his operations but then again, she had never heard of anyone in Konoha being assigned on a mission to stop him. Few clients were willing to pay for what would surely be an unranked mission, especially since it would take a small army of ninja to bring him down. Either Nezu's boss was so powerful that it didn't really matter who was aware of his activity, or the man was past the point of rational thought thanks to the handjob she was giving him. She liked to think it was the latter. If she had to do something like this, it damn well better be effective.

But the time for questioning was past. She had gleaned enough info to know that he was nothing more than a sniveling minion to a drug lord with a knack for drawing strippers and not the kidnapper they sought. Now came the moment of truth.

"Hmm, I have heard of him," she said in response to his question, releasing him from her grip and moving to straddle his stomach, his erection hot resting lightly against her rear. "Does he treat you well?"

"There are worse people I could be working for," was all he could manage.

Sakura smiled coyly.

"Well baby, I guarantee it won't be half as good as how I'm going to treat you."

As she spoke she reached around and tugged the ties of her top loose, letting the garment fall away. The emerald hue looked brownish under the dim reddish light and her own skin took on a pink glow, but it clearly didn't make her naked breasts any less captivating if his awed expression was anything to go by.

He was riveted, staring at her bare chest as if he had never seen a pair before. Perhaps he hadn't.

"C-can I touch them?" he stammered out shyly, his eyes glued to the soft curves.

Sakura would have preferred he keep his hands to himself but the more preoccupied he was, the better.

"Sure, just play nice."

Hesitantly, his hands came up to cup the firm flesh. He seemed intrigued by the way the small mounds molded into his palms and he began to squeeze and knead them lightly, thumbs rolling over stiffening nipples. Sakura however, derived no pleasure from his actions. His hands were cold and clammy and his ministrations awkward and clumsy.

"They're so soft," he murmured appreciatively and Sakura giggled as she leaned over him.

"How do you want me?" she whispered, her lips almost touching his as she stared into dark, lust filled eyes. While he was distracted, she was stealthily making the hand signed for the sleeping jutsu against her abdomen. "Do you want me on top? On my back? Doggystyle?"

"Ride me," he whispered hoarsely, his hands still squeezing her breasts. "Please, ride me until you come."

"Alright baby," she said, finishing the last hand seal and bringing glowing fingers around to his temples. "I'll give you whatever you want."

The man never knew what hit him. The second her fingertips made contact with his skin, his hands dropped away from her body heavily and his eyes slid shut. His breathing evened out signifying he was in a deep sleep and Sakura could start with the next phase of her plan.

She let out a sigh of relief, wiping the hand that had been around him on his pants, and began forming the more complex series of signs for the memory jutsu, moving slowly so as not to make a mistake. When her fingers were once again glowing a soft green, she pressed them to his temples and began filling his mind with images of her atop him, his member wedged deeply inside of her. It was odd conjuring up such explicit images of her own body but this was no time to be modest. She tried to input every detail from the sound of her breathless moans to the bouncing of her unrestrained breasts. Ten minutes later, the false memories were transferred.

The next set of jutsu went fairly quickly, the hardest part being over and done with. With a few quick hand signs and a flood of chakra, he was relaxed, high on endorphins and sweating lightly. As an afterthought, she sped up his heart rate and knocked the wind out of him as well so he would be panting for breath when he awoke.

She was just about to wake him up when she took her own appearance into account. The so called "middle man" looked like he had just run a mile while she still looked pristine. Chances were he wouldn't notice the details, especially since he was a civilian, but there was no harm in being careful.

She ran fingers through her hair until it was messy and pressed her hands to her flat belly, administering the same sweat inducing jutsu on herself until her skin was glowing with a thin layer of moisture.

She stripped off her bottoms and laid down beside him just as the fatigue was starting to hit her. With all the chakra she had just expended, she didn't even have to act like she was tired. Neither she nor Kakashi had taken into consideration how drained this would leave her and it was becoming apparent that she would only be able to do this once a night since her chakra couldn't replenish fast enough. Then again, the girls usually only bedded one man a night anyway, because even though condoms were used, no man would want sloppy seconds, unless the woman was Tsurenai and then the men didn't give a damn as long as they got to fuck her.

Although the sheets probably weren't very clean, she had the urge to just lay still and surrender to sleep, but considering she was completely naked next to a perfect stranger who was also totally naked save for the pants around his ankles and his shoes, that was not an option. Wearily, she reached up and shook his shoulder until he was awake.

"Don't go drifting off on me now," she smiled, propping herself up on one elbow and watching him carefully as he assessed how his body felt. This was the single most important moment. Would he believe that the memories in his head were real?

A dreamy smile formed on his lips, no doubt caused by the endorphins in his blood stream and the images in his brain of her riding him like an animal.

"Wow," was all he said.

"Glad you're satisfied," she giggled, secretly feeling a wave of relief wash over her. Her little scam had worked, at least on a civilian class man, but it was the first step in establishing that the plan was plausible. Now she could get the hell out of here.

With some effort, she managed to sit up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, pulling on the tiny thong she had so recently abandoned.

"Come visit again sometime," she called over her shoulder as she tied her top back in place and grabbed her money off the nightstand. "Maybe I'll even let you draw me any way you want."

With that, she unlocked the door and slipped back into the cacophony of noise and flashing lights, leaving the satiated man to clean up after himself. Her eyes immediately flicked to the bar and she saw that Kakashi was still there, chatting idly with the pretty blonde bartender who was mixing him a drink. For some reason, she felt her chest tighten a little as Kakashi said something that made her laugh. No, she wasn't jealous. What right would she have to be jealous when she had just been naked next to another man? Why should she be jealous regardless? This was a mission and they were simply partners. Nothing more. Even if he had felt her up in a motel room, received a steamy lap dance from her and had images of the two of them having passionate sex floating around in his brain, they were still just partners.

At least that's what she was going to tell herself for now.

Juu smiled foolishly at her as she exited the room.

"Have a good time Hana?"

"Yeah, he wasn't half bad," she laughed breezily before slipping away into the crowd.

In reality it had been horrible. She had experienced worse things and it was nothing she couldn't get over but she had not enjoyed jerking off a perfect stranger in exchange for information, even if the feeling was empowering.

She could almost feel him still pulsing against her fingers and reminded herself to wash her hands the first chance she got.

She purposely walked by the bar making sure Kakashi saw her. The girl behind the counter was one Sakura had never seen before and she wondered if she was new. The bar tenders, while all female and all beautiful, never lived at the club, nor did they usually last very long. She supposed they all had homes or at least chances of a better future and took it. Sakura had never talked to any of them before since they were only around during business hours and didn't make the effort to converse with her either.

She caught Kakashi's eye and winked at him, signifying that everything went according to plan and he gave her a nearly imperceptible nod in response before going back to talking with the bartender. She was already too far away to tell, but she wondered if his eye was fixated on her face or the bountiful cleavage produced by a very low cut shirt and probably an impressive push-up bra.

As she made her way back to the dressing room to touch up her makeup and fix her hair she figured he was probably stealing glimpses of both. He was a first class pervert after all and with a rack that impressive, how could he not take a peek.

Once inside the small room, she took at look at her own modest breasts in a makeup mirror. Of course he would look at the bartender. After being stuck with her who barely had a handful of tits to begin with, he probably pounced on the chance to drink in the sight of a voluptuous pair of boobs.

She thought she had come to terms with her body but she found that every now and then she was still insecure. The man she had seduced tonight seemed to truly adore her small assets and for some reason, she secretly wished Kakashi would look at her the same way. If an experienced man like him found her beautiful, then she might be more confident. But after their talk the other night, it seemed raging hormones were the cause of the event in the small, dimly lit booth rather than an actually attraction to her.

As she brushed out messy pink strands, she paused mid stroke, wondering why she really cared about it either way. An attraction to her would only complicate things and lord knew they were already plenty complicated.

If Kakashi thought she was attractive at all, it would probably be purely in the physical sense and only because she had been transformed by makeup and hairspray and a revealing outfit. She knew deep down she wanted to be admired for all of her attributes, her brains, her strength, her capabilities as a kunoichi. She wondered if Sasuke would even give her the time of day, let alone like her for all these things. But maybe, just maybe, a more feminine appearance would open his eyes to the rest of what was beneath the surface.

She set down her brush and picked up an eyeliner pencil.

If she wanted Sasuke so bad like she had believed she had since before she was in the academy, why was Kakashi constantly occupying her thoughts? It could be that they were around each other so frequently that it was only natural. Or was it that maybe, just maybe, she was growing attached to her perverted sensei?

The thought gripped her chest and made her breath catch but before she could ponder it further, the door opened and Dajaku poked his head in.

"Everything ok in here?"

"Yes, fine," Sakura answered, although she wasn't sure if it was true.

"Well, get back out there. I have customers asking about you," he said, silvery eyes roving her form shamelessly even after all the warning glares she had given him.

Sakura's eye's narrowed dangerously.

"I'll be out in a moment," she said coolly in a steely tone that said if he tried to rush her, he would be sorry.

"Alright, alright. Just hurry it up," he said dismissively, tearing his eyes away from her and retreating back into the club, shutting the door behind him.

Sakura sighed and looked at herself in the mirror, wondering if it was even humanly possible for her to be attracted to Kakashi who was after all, a decade and a half older than herself.

She went about fixing her makeup quickly, contemplating the possibility that she was going completely out of her mind.

XXXXX

I hope this has sarisfied you desire for some smut, at least for a little while. Please tell me what you thought of this chapter since it took a long time to write and was full of complicated stuff. I hope I got it right.

To those that won a oneshot from me from my livejournal game, I will really try to get them done before I'm old and gray. At least its's summer so school wont be an issue, but the two weeks I'm visiting family in San Francisco and going to Anime Expo will be.


	12. Chapter 12

I know it has been way too long between updates of this story! I apologize, but something funny happened to me while trying to write this. It's called life. Yes, between a family vacation, Anime Expo, work, a social life and my Xbox, I found it hard to keep up with my writing. I anticipate this only getting worse when the school year comes around again.

On another note, I am very pleased with the favorable response I received for my one shot "Fade to Gray", but I wanted to make one thing clear since there was an overwhelming request for a sequel so I thought I should address it here. There won't be another chapter. It's a one shot for a reason. I left the ending ambiguous on purpose and you will just have to use your imagination as to how it turns out.

Back to this story. This fic is rated M and not for kiddies. I do not own Naruto in any way, otherwise I'd be rich and awesome and not going to school to learn how to be a starving artist.

XXXXX

"Hana my dear, you've created quite the stir among my customers lately,"

Sakura looked up from where she was helping take upturned chairs off tabletops in preparation for the club's opening in about an hour.

"Is that so?" she said idly, trying not to be annoyed at the fact that the club owner merely stood there with his arms crossed , watching her work without lifting a finger to assist. This was his club after all, and yet he seemed to think that he could leave all the work to others and still keep the majority of the profits. His actions were doing nothing to change her opinion of him, which had only gotten worse since she first met him.

"Yes," Dajaku said, sounding quite pleased with himself as if he had handpicked the woman in front of him to be his newest dancer. "I have people asking about you almost every night. I think it's your pink hair that piques their curiosity."

"Hmm," she replied irritably, trying to block him out and proceed with her task. Unlike some purple haired divas, she didn't consider herself above doing a little manual labor to help out around the place, especially since Juu was currently busying himself with fixing a toilet in the men's bathroom that no longer flushed. He had been worried he wouldn't have everything ready in time but Sakura assured him she would have the chairs pulled down from where they had been stacked the night before. She had done it for the big burly bouncer because he was kind to her, if not a little clueless. Dajaku on the other hand seemed to think she was doing him a personal favor as his employee, which was not at all the case. On top of that, his not so subtle arrogance and the way he seemed to avoid anything physically taxing lest it wrinkle his pristine silk shirt was seriously rubbing her the wrong way.

"You know, you get dozens of requests every night for lapdances and yet you turn most of them down. You could make a lot more money if—"

Sakura spun around and slammed her palms on the nearest wooden table, regarding him evenly with hard emerald eyes. She had been trying to ignore him but his wheedling and prying to try and get her to make him more money was getting under her skin.

"Let's get one thing straight here," she said coolly, no longer able to tolerate him quietly. "You hired me because you and your club were in trouble. Even if I have to act like just another one of your meal tickets, you would do well to remember that I am not."

Silver eyes darted around nervously and he began to fidget. The weasel was so smooth and slick until he was threatened, and then his cowardice showed through.

"Keep it down," he grumbled. "Someone will hear you."

Sakura already knew there was nobody in hearing range except the two of them. She didn't sense anyone else who could be in hearing range.

"Let me make this clear," she said, ignoring his muttered request. "I interact with your slimy patrons only because I have to in order to gain information about possible suspects. I will only interrogate people I deem to be suspicious and don't see the need to further exploit myself just so you can make a little extra cash off my efforts."

Dajaku ran a sweating palm over his head as if to slick back the few stray hairs growing there. He was clearly unhappy with her decision but didn't have the balls to press her harder, or maybe he was just smart enough to know better.

"I just thought you'd like the extra cash," he grumbled, before making a hasty retreat to his office and slamming the door none too gently. He knew he had lost yet another round with the kunoichi but he didn't take the defeat well. He would probably stay in there sulking until the club opened.

Sakura flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned back to her task. She would have to finish quickly so she could go get ready since she was in the first group of girls to take the stage tonight.

Nearly a week had passed since her first attempt at interrogating a man via sex illusion jutsu. She had repeated it with a different man every night with the exception of one since then as well as several lap dances a night, all resulting in nothing that would bring her any closer to the truth behind the disappearances. It was becoming painfully clear that picking suspicious looking men at random was not working. Dajaku would probably be getting impatient if it weren't for the additional business she was bringing to the club. Chances were she could stay here another six months and he wouldn't complain, but what about Kakashi? He must be eager for this mission to wrap up. Tsunade was surely expecting her back in Konoha soon as well. Sakura had sent a mission update in a nondescript envelope to let her shishou know that this particular assignment would take longer than they had originally planned but even so, between Fire Country's top medic and number one assassin, one would think this mission would be done sooner rather than later. Apparently Tsunade hadn't taken their combined lack of mystery solving skills into account.

She hoisted the last chair from atop the table and set it on the floor, wiping her hands on her already grimy sweats.

If she wanted to solve this mission soon, she would have to devise a new plan because right now she was going nowhere fast. Either that or pray that their mysterious yellow eyed man would return and give her a chance to subdue him because the persistent feeling in her gut told her he was involved with all this somehow.

Sakura turned and headed towards the dressing room, her thoughts straying between wondering if tonight would be the night Yellow finally appeared, and if she should wear her new purple G-string or the red number that had gotten such a favorable response.

The red one. Kakashi likes that one.

The thought flashed through her mind before she could stop it and was enough to make her pause. Why should she care what Kakashi liked? It wasn't like she was wearing it for him. Yet the memories of how he had touched her while she had worn that particular outfit still made her body warm all over.

What the hell was with her lately? First there was getting all territorial when Kakashi was chatting up the bartender, and now she was concerned with what she wore around him? Oh, and let's not forget the fact that she had considered raping him in his sleep. Things like that certainly weren't normal. Last time she had felt like that around someone was…Sasuke.

Sakura shook her head as if it would help clear away the thoughts. If Kakashi hadn't touched her like that, she wouldn't be having these thoughts now. If there was an attraction to him, it was out of curiosity and nothing more. She had longed for someone to make her feel special, as if she were the only thing that mattered, and he had, making her feel pleasure in a way she had never experienced before. The fact that she was his student made that kind of interaction practically forbidden and maybe that's why it was all the more alluring. Sakura had never been the rebellious type, but maybe the immersion in this world of sex and sin was compromising her tight morals just a little.

Sakura sighed as she reached for the doorknob of the dressing room. The situation seemed too complicated for her to dwell on at the moment. Instead, it was time to shift gears and concentrate on thoughts that might actually help her complete this mission.

She walked to her lighted makeup table where she had left both the red and purple outfits for tonight. She didn't even pause as she reached out for the violet satin, shoving the other away in a drawer.

XXXXX

Kakashi followed every graceful movement with his uncovered eye, admiring how comfortable his student had become with her own body. She looked good enough to eat tonight, her long hair loose and straight down her back. Her top had been nothing more than a strip of purple fabric that clasped behind her neck and wrapped in a figure eight around her chest, but that had come off nearly an hour ago and now those deliciously firm mounds were in plain view, swaying and bouncing enticingly with every move.

Every now and then he would rip his eyes away from the enticing scene in front of him to survey the crowds, trying to stay focused on his mission objective, but nobody in the club tonight seemed to alert him in any way, and so his focus was continually drawn back to the half naked kunoichi on stage.

The slender metal pole was currently between her thighs as she ground against it in long, languid strokes to the beat of the music, arching her back and letting her head fall back as if the cool metal was satisfying her much like a man could. Her hair cascaded down her back in a shimmering curtain of pink, eyes closed as if in ecstasy, and all around her men pressed in close to her platform, hooting and hollering and waving fisted bills enthusiastically, all eager for the chance to get all little attention from the goddess on stage.

Kakashi found himself wanting to be that pole, or better yet, have her in his motel room dressed only in that lacy little purple thong, to press her into cool sheets and let his fingers rub her up and down nice and slow, just like she was moving now. She would moan breathlessly, the sounds like candy for his ears as she trembled beneath him, the silky purple fabric growing damp against his fingertips.

"Can I get you another one?" a feminine voice asked sweetly.

He swiveled around on his stool to find the bartender he had been talking to the other night looking at his expectantly and he realized the glass on the bar was empty. When had he finished that off? The woman leaned forward, showing off generous amounts of cleavage on display in a low cut shirt, and gave him a flirtatious smile.

"No thanks," he replied, swiveling back to watch the show, making it clear that he wasn't in the mood for playful banter, not when his partner was halfway up the pole with her legs spread open in a perfect split position.

She slid to the floor just as the song ended and walked the perimeter of the stage, letting the men stuff money into her garter. The set must have ended because she exited the stage along with Kitsune and Misaki. He noticed Sakura whisper something to a man as she passed and he nodded his head enthusiastically before following her to the booths in the back. The path required her to walk past the bar. She didn't look at Kakashi as she passed but her sensei eyed her briefly.

She looked weary now that she didn't have to keep up appearances on stage and had let the act drop briefly. He supposed that was to be expected. The club was open seven days a week and the girls seldom had days off. In fact, Sakura had been working every night since she first started and spent much of the time when the club was closed looking into other aspects that might help complete the mission a little quicker. She hadn't had much down time at all, and neither had he for that matter, considering he spent much of the day sleeping and at night, explored the city and all its dangerous nooks and crannies full of illegal trade operators and runners of the black market, all in hope that some clue would surface that would key him in to where the missing girls had gone.

She had already given two lapdances tonight and had used her new jutsu on one man that was undoubtedly a low level shinobi. The technique had been successful, even on the scruffy Rock ninja, but the subtle shake of her head as she existed the booth conveyed that he hadn't had any useful information either.

The Copy Nin let his eyes follow her mostly bare backside as she once again disappeared into a booth to give another lap dance and Kakashi had to suppress a growl as the man trailing after her let his hand graze over the smooth skin of one toned cheek as he followed her inside.

Kakashi Hatake was a patient man but he was growing sick of playing the waiting game for a possible subject to show, especially when it meant his supple young student had to grind away on other people's laps in the meantime. He hated the predatory glances she was constantly receiving, as if she was a piece of meat at dinnertime. He could see them imagining what it would be like to take her, and several of them persisted in asking her to sleep with them, though she always turned them down unless she thought they might have information of value. He knew he wasn't much better and was in no position to preach, for he too was captivated by her exotic looks and sensual moves. He too fantasized about taking her to bed. But in his dreams he made slow, passionate love to her, not just a quick, dirty fuck like so many of these men were after. He tried to remain detached and reason that as a kunoichi, it was her job to do whatever was necessary to complete the mission, but he was finding it harder and harder to ignore the men that approached her as she became more popular. Both of them were highly stressed and it was about time to escape the pressure for just a little while.

He swiveled back to face the bar and signaled to the bartender that he was ready for another round. When she pushed a full glass towards him, he picked up his drink, laid down his tip, and slipped into the sea of flashing lights and pumping bass towards Dajaku's office.

XXXXX

Another night had passed and Sakura had nothing to show for it. Feeling defeated and a little helpless, she had stripped off her thong, shrugged into an oversized T-shirt and collapsed into bed, hoping she could sleep off the depressing feeling that this mission might eventually end in failure.

She awoke the next morning equally discouraged, only now she had morning breath that could kill a horse. With a grumble, she hauled herself into the bathroom to shower and brush her teeth. The hot water felt good on her skin and the smell of the lavender scented soap lifted her spirits enough so that she wouldn't be moping around all day, but she knew she couldn't go on like this, blindly hoping that the next man she pulled into that booth would be the one with all the answers. She needed a new plan but didn't know what else she could do. The lists Dajaku had been giving her had been full of dead ends and she was sure Kakashi had been thorough in his investigation of every name.

She hated not being able to take action. She had all this power and strength but it was useless in this situation. She couldn't even vent her anger on an innocent rock or tree. She hated this stagnant feeling of making zero progress, and didn't know how much longer she could keep it up.

The nature of her new job was taking its toll as well. It would be bad even if she could make up her mind on how she felt about it one way or the other, but it seemed she was constantly caught halfway between loathing being on that stage and loving it. For the first time in her life, she truly felt sexy, felt wanted, and the sense of empowerment she felt from having every man in the room wrapped around her finger was entirely different from the power she had in knowing she could probably destroy everyone of them with minimal effort. She had never felt so much like a woman, but she had also never felt so much like an object either. They didn't know her name and they didn't care. All they wanted was her body, to use her to satisfy their most primal urges. She could see it in their dark and lusty eyes. If they thought they could get away with it, she had no doubt they would rush the stage and bend her over the nearest table, taking her again and again until their hunger was satiated. The knowledge was both thrilling and terrifying and it scared her a little that she wasn't completely repulsed by the thought of it.

Lapdances and performing the jutsu were even worse. It was such an intimate situation to feel a man's erect cock rubbing against her barely covered sex. In one case, she had been completely naked while seducing her victim and he had thrust up against her, nearly slipping inside of her. She had had to stroke men with her hand, make them believe she wanted them, and one had actually lost it early and spilled himself all over her fingers. It was the first time she had felt a man's seed, thick and warm, and though she had hastily wiped it away on the sheets, she had laid awake that night wondering how it would feel to have a man release inside her. Her cheeks had heated at the very thought and she had buried her head under her pillow in mortification, but she couldn't help it. There was no way she could be immersed in a world of sex and be pretending to have it often without becoming curious about it.

She could often hear feminine moaning coming through the walls and wondered if sex could ever be that good for her. It's not like she didn't have the opportunity to find out. All she had to do was let the next man she interrogated touch her for real, to sink down on him and experience what it was like to be filled.

But she couldn't do that. She refused to give her body to a perfect stranger unless she absolutely had to. Even though she had lost much of her teenage naivety, she still longed for her first time to be sweet and passionate, for the man to explore her body gently and tell her she had nothing to fear, to make her feel like nothing was expected of her and she was safe in his care.

Such thoughts always led her back to one man, and to her surprise, it was never the childhood crush she had fawned over for years. It was Kakashi. She was sure it had everything to do with the fact that he had already proved himself quite a proficient lover, setting her body ablaze, and the more she practiced the art of pretending to have sex, the more she wondered what it would be like with him, for his strong and calloused hands to wander her skin, for his shaft to enter her, stretch her. And his face; that beautiful, perfect face that he didn't even know she had seen. What would it look like contorted in pleasure? Could she make him hot and needy the same way he had her? The very thought made her stomach flutter before common sense came in and slammed the door on all her impure thoughts. Even if he was bound to be good in bed, he was still her teacher and completely forbidden. He had said himself that he had responded to her only because it was instinct, because a man's body craved a woman's, not because he found her to be particularly beautiful, sexy and alluring.

Sakura broke herself out of her thoughts, realizing she had been lathering her body with the same bar of soap for nearly fifteen minutes while her mind had drifted off. She rinsed quickly and toweled off before she monopolized one of the two bathrooms any longer than necessary. She retreated to her room, not at all surprised to hear Misaki still snoring away from the top bunk. She sat down in front of the mirror in the corner to face the daunting task of combing out her long pink hair.

In her haste to get out of the shower, she had forgotten to put conditioner in it and the result was a mass of pink tangles all over her head. She pulled at them irritably with her comb but didn't have the patience at the moment to work them all out. She was considering just piling her hair into a bun and worrying about it later Miyabi entered the room.

"Breakfast will be ready soon," she said softly so as not to wake their roommate.

"Ok, be right there," the kunoichi said, going to pull the comb from tangled strands only to find it wouldn't budge. So much hair had wound around it in her attempt to work out the snarls that it had become stuck in her hair.

Miyabi was looking at her curiously.

"Do you need help with that?

Sakura grit her teeth against the pain in her scalp and pulled again.

"Nope, I'm perfectly fine."

The taller woman didn't believe her for a moment and padded with all the grace of a cat to sit behind her. Sakura watched her in the mirror as she lightly batted her hands away from the comb and began to work it free, gently pulling away pink strands that were caught between the plastic teeth.

"Thanks," the kunoichi said sheepishly. If Miyabi hadn't come along, she probably would have torn out all her hair in frustration when she used brute strength to yank the comb free.

The woman moved with fluid grace even during the most menial of tasks, and Sakura wondered if she could ever attain that kind of poise outside of a sparing match. She had never excelled at being feminine and dainty, but the dark haired woman moved like an ethereal goddess, even as she combed out her hair.

Gently, the troublesome comb was pulled free and she went to work on coaxing the impossible tangles from her hair. The sensation the comb and Miyabi's fingers lightly tugging on her silken strands and gliding over her scalp were soothing and she let her eyes drift closed, willing all the tension she had been harboring for days to melt away as she relaxed into the comforting touch. How many years had it been since her mother had brushed her hair just like this? Sakura wasn't sure if she could remember.

The room was quiet, interrupted only by soft snores from the upper bunk. Miyabi had worked her magic on one side of her head and was beginning on the other when Sakura spoke.

"Have you ever been in love?"

The question surprised even the woman who asked it, for it had popped into her head only seconds before the words had formed on her tongue.

Miyabi paused in her movements and Sakura risked opening her eyes to find the woman looking at her in the reflection of the mirror.

"I-I'm sorry. Forget it. It was a silly thing to ask," she stammered, backpedaling and wondering what had come over her to ask something like that in the first place.

"No, it's alright," Miyabi said quietly. "I just wasn't prepared for a question like that."

Blue eyes turned thoughtful as she pondered a moment.

"No," she said at last. "I have never been in love. I was too young when I was sold and have been on the move until I came here. I've never really had the opportunity to fall in love."

"I see," Sakura said, toying with the ends of her hair that had been combed out.

"Although," she continued, a wistful smile forming on her face. "There was a boy in my village who I had sort of taken a liking to. His family was a skilled group of tailors and my father often sold their products before he passed away. Our fathers had decided that when we were old enough, we would wed."

"Really?" Sakura asked, noting how Miyabi's face seemed to light up. "You didn't mind an arranged marriage?"

The beautiful woman resumed combing out the pink strands before her.

"I suppose I was too young to really understand what it all meant, but he was my friend and the thought of always being with him made me happy. It's been so long now. I wonder what Kenji must be up to now."

"Kenji?"

"Yes," she said with a smile. "That was his name. Kenji."

Miyabi leaned in closer to examine a particularly stubborn knot as Sakura asked another question.

"Do you think you'll ever truly fall in love?"

She shrugged as if it was all rather inconsequential.

"Probably not while I am here. This city isn't exactly conducive to love. It's not so bad though. I guess I don't know what I am missing."

The thought of such a beautiful and kind woman never finding someone to cherish her made Sakura rather sad. She was sure that if she took her back to Konoha, every man in the village would fall all over themselves to get her to notice them. Even though she wasn't a kunoichi, she was elegant and striking. Even Naruto would be smitten. A woman like her would be a good match for someone like Neji, both of them regal and refined. Their children would no doubt be gorgeous. Even Sasuke would have to take notice of someone like her, and perhaps Miyabi would have the means to capture the heart that Sakura could not.

"What about you, Hana? Have you ever loved someone?" she asked as skilled fingers made short work of another tangle.

She paused before answering as she saw the Uchiha's face in her mind, looking cold arrogant and painfully untouchable as always.

"Yeah," she said softly, her lips quirking into a sad smile. "But I'm afraid he didn't feel the same."

"Ah, unrequited love," Miyabi nodded sympathetically. "I hear that's the worst kind."

"I suppose it can be. It hurt for a long time," she said, remembering all the times Sasuke had pushed her away and had abandoned both her and the village for a darker path. "Even now I wonder if there's anything I could have done to change things."

"Well, you can't make a fool wise if he doesn't want to be taught. If he couldn't see the beautiful woman in front of him then it's better to find someone who sees you for what you are."

Sakura wanted to scoff. She had hardly been the ravishing beauty in Konoha that she was now with the assistance of makeup, hairspray and G-strings. She couldn't help but wonder what Sasuke would do if he saw her dance. Would he adore her? Be disgusted by her? Or just be another lustful man who wanted a quick fix with her body as the means? Sasuke was so frigid it was hard to imagine him being passionate, but even as she pictured his hands roving her body and his dark eyes taking in her naked form, she found it didn't give her the same thrill as when Kakashi had touched her.

"You're better off on your own than with someone who doesn't care for you. At least when I'm with a man now, I'm not in a position to get hurt. It's a job and nothing more."

"I suppose," Sakura mused, wondering why it was Kakashi's face in her mind rather than Sasuke's. Kakashi claimed he had only been touching her as a method of teaching, and then later because he simply lost control, but his caresses had conveyed emotion the way other men's careless groping had not. Maybe that was just because Kakashi was good at what he did and had experience and pages of pornographic material on his side, but Sakura wondered if something like that could be faked so easily. Maybe she was just reading into it too much.

At last Miyabi worked the last tangle free, her messy rat's nest transformed once more into long straight strands. Without asking, she parted her hair all the way down the back of her head and began to plait it into to symmetrical French braids. She tied them off with the hair ties she found on the nearby bookcase and gave her a smile.

"The style suits you. You look very cute."

"Thanks," Sakura smiled, fingering the end of a long braid that nearly reached her navel.

"Come on, I'm sure breakfast is ready by now," the taller woman said as she handed Sakura her comb before standing.

Sakura nodded and tossed the comb on her bed before following her out the door, leaving Misaki to snore peacefully as she overslept once again.

XXXXX

It had been about ten o'clock when Sakura woke up and by the time she was done with breakfast, it was after eleven thirty. Now was as good a time as any to get the list of last night's people who had received services from the dancers.

Ever since their talk in Kakashi's motel room and her first attempt at her new jutsu while using him as her test subject, he had apparently stopped trying to avoid her. He no longer asked her to fly paper airplanes out windows but more often than not, she slipped it to him while she was at the club, or if he needed it sooner, sent it out with the trash.

She was grateful things between them finally seemed normal again. Well, at least on his end, maybe. She, however, often caught herself daydreaming about his uncovered face and what it would have been like to give him her virginity while he was caught in her sleep jutsu. She knew it was a horrible thing to think but she couldn't deny that she was lusting over her teacher. How could she not with a face like that? The vertical scar running through his slightly droopy eye was an appealing mark that gave him character rather than a flaw, and those lips, so smooth and soft, always protected from the sun and the elements under the mask. She wanted to kiss him again and wanted him to kiss her back, to show her just how passionate he could be.

Too bad she was still nothing more than a partner to him. He had said she was pretty and that she was sexy and womanly while dancing with confidence, but he probably thought that about every dancer here, even Tsurenai.

"Good morning," a cool voice said, breaking her out of her thoughts.

She looked up to find the very woman she had been thinking about leave Dajaku's office. She had probably seen her coming from the window and taken her chance to leave. Ever since the confrontation in the hallway, the two gave each other a wide berth. It was quite clear the diva was not going to say anything that could help Sakura with her mission and every time they were in a room together, the tension was almost tangible, as if the two of them were just seconds away from going at each other's throats. It that ever happened, "catfight" wouldn't even begin to cover it.

"Good morning," she replied tersely, not even slowing down as she brushed by the tailored sweater and pinstripe pants and entered Dajaku's office, firmly shutting the door behind her.

"Ah, Hana-chan, what can I do for you?"

Sakura rolled her eyes at the affectionate nickname and stood in front of his desk. She didn't bother with sitting. She wouldn't be here long.

"The list," she said simply, wondering if he had gotten over his temper tantrum last night when she had refused to give more lap dances than necessary.

"Of course," he said smoothly, reaching into his drawer. "Actually, there is something else for you here as well."

He pulled out two slips of paper, the gaudy rings on his hands catching the light as he moved. He seemed to hesitate a moment before giving them to her but finally stretched out his hand and offered her the notes.

The first one was the list as usual, but the second, though also written on Dajaku's personalized stationary, was written in different handwriting; Kakashi's handwriting.

She hastily read the messy chicken scratch, afraid that something had gone wrong, but though his message was cryptic, there didn't appear to be trouble.

Meet at the bookstore at noon. Bring the list, some comfortable clothing, and shoes you can walk in.

Sakura checked the gold plated clock on Dajaku's desk, slipping it around so she could read it. It read eleven fifty three.

"Why didn't you give this to me sooner?" she cried out, realizing that unless she left in a hurry, she was going to be late.

Dajaku shrugged.

"I assumed you'd be in for the list anyway. It's not my fault you're later than usual."

Sakura gave an exasperated huff and turned on her heel to leave.

"Just make sure you're back in time for the show," he called after her.

Sakura didn't bother responding as she made her way towards the front door of the club, undoing the dead bolt and rushing into the alley. She was thankfully already wearing shoes since she refused to walk around on the club's floor barefoot and they were a comfortable pair since Sakura didn't see the point in wearing those ridiculous stilettos unless she was performing.

It was a surprisingly nice day outside and although gray clouds still hung overhead, it was unusually warm. Sakura hadn't been outside for the past couple of days so she hadn't kept track of what the weather was doing. It would be a pity if she had been missing out on warm days. She should have made a trip to the market or something.

She arrived at the bookstore in record time but wasn't surprised to see that Kakashi wasn't there yet. In her haste she had left her phone in her room so she couldn't check the exact time but she had a feeling that if it was exactly noon, chances were good she could be waiting at least another fifteen minutes. Why had she been in such a hurry again? This was Kakashi they were talking about and he was the ultimate in ignoring punctuality.

She didn't have a cloak to cover her hair and she could already sense that she was getting a few strange looks. She supposed that was to be expected considering she was dressed like a rag doll in her T-shirt and sweats and was probably the only one with pink hair in the entire city. It was hard to be inconspicuous with hair the color of bubblegum.

"Not catching up on any reading? I thought you'd be inside perusing the books."

Sakura turned to see a jovial looking Kakashi emerging from the bookstore, only this time it didn't look like he had purchased anything.

"Not everyone enjoys written porn," she said sourly, remembering the last time she had been curios enough to peek at the pages of the books inside. She could do without the illustrated sex manuals, thank you very much…although she had found Kitsune's erotica to be rather enlightening.

"Suit yourself," Kakashi shrugged, adjusting the pack he wore on his shoulder. "Well then, let's get going."

He began to walk away without so much as an explanation, and Sakura had to jog a little to catch up with his long stride.

"Wait, going where?"

He seemed unconcerned with the irritation in her voice and just gave her a friendly eye crease. Sakura was certain his handsome face was smiling beneath the mask and secretly wondered what it looked like.

"You'll find out when we get there, but I'm sure you'll like it. We'll have to hurry though if Dajaku wants you back by the time the show starts. Nice hair by the way."

Sakura brought a hand to the end of one long pink braid, fingering it self consciously.

"Uh, thanks. Miyabi did it for me," she said as she weaved her way through the afternoon crowds while trying to keep in step with him.

"It's cute," he said casually, keeping his eyes on the path in front of him. "I like it."

Sakura felt his cheeks warm at his compliment. This was ridiculous. She was acting like a giddy schoolgirl, getting so excited over something so simple, but even as she struggled to fight the color rising to her cheeks, a small smile formed on her lips.

"Although, I must say," he continued as they turned a street corner and headed into an even more industrialized part of town. "You're drawing attention to yourself. It's probably your hair color, but maybe that face of yours is too pretty for a town like this."

Any chance of hiding her blush was blown away as her cheeks flared pink at his words. At that moment she wished she had a scarf like the one Kakashi always wore to cover his face, although today he only had his usual mask on thanks to the unusually warm turn in the weather.

The Copy Nin was always so stingy with his compliments. He had hardly ever graced her with them when it came to her fighting techniques and he had certainly never complimented any of her physical attributes, at least not while she had been his student. Apparently that had changed, for this was not the first time he had called her pretty. However, the giddy effect it had on her was still the same.

Kakashi was not oblivious. He had seen her face flush at his first compliment and had told himself that, given the circumstances, he should probably stop. His head was still full of images of her atop him, riding him incessantly towards orgasm thanks to the cursed little jutsu that she just had to test on him. Although they had talked it over and had managed to come to a point where interaction wouldn't be horrendously awkward, he knew he was a fool to press his luck. It's not like he was purposely trying to flatter her or feed her lines like she was some woman he was trying to sweet-talk into bed. It was just that it seemed today was a day where his mouth had decided to operate independently of his brain, at least where Sakura was concerned, and her new look was endearing in that it made her look youthful and innocent. However, even though her face lacked makeup, he still couldn't see her as anything but a woman. The hairstyle served to make her less sexy and more cute but even so, he was sure that even in braids, she would be equally ravishing when naked and tangled up in his sheets. A hairstyle like that would make so easy to pull her head towards him when she had her lips around his—

Ok, time for a change of topic. Immediately.

"So, did the boss seem aggravated that you were leaving for a while?" he asked, purposely leaving out Dajaku's name in case someone were to overhear.

"Well, he certainly didn't seem thrilled," she answered, face still turned away from him a little as her blush cooled. "We just have to be back before the show."

Kakashi turned another corner, leading them down a street that was less crowded, and he could tell Sakura was suddenly a little more alert. She had never been to this part of town before.

"Yeah, he was reluctant to let you go. I think he's under the impression that he practically owns you until this mission is completed. I had to set him straight on a couple things last night before he finally agreed to cover for your absence all day."

Sakura had wondered what she was going to say to everyone upon her return, considering they weren't supposed to go out on their own and as far as all the other dancers knew, Kakashi did not exist. She hoped the excuse Dajaku gave wasn't one she would have to strangle him for later.

The fact that Kakashi had gone to all the trouble of making sure she would be able to escape for the day was even more intriguing. She was almost flattered that he had made the effort to talk with Dajaku, although she supposed she should probably know what he was getting her into before she thanked him for it. Even so, it was nice to be outside for a change.

"So seriously, where are we going?" Sakura asked again, noting that it seemed they were getting closer to the western outskirts of town.

"I told you, it's a surprise," Kakashi said, turning a dark, knowing eye towards her that held the smile that his covered face couldn't portray. Sakura wasn't sure whether to be relieved or worried by his expression.

As they walked, large buildings were becoming scarcer and clusters of small houses took their place. Patches of scraggly greenery sprung up in some of the yards and the farther out of town they walked, the more the grass seemed to compete with concrete until it eventually won out and gave way to more of the gently rolling hills of green they had passed on the way in. An occasional structure dotted the landscape but it was clear they had left the boundaries of Fuzen Machi.

"Is this mission related?" Sakura finally asked after they had walked without speaking long enough for the silence to become uncomfortable.

"Since when are you so inquisitive?" he chuckled, veering off the main road onto a smaller dirt path that cut through the grass which seemed taller with every passing mile.

"Since my sensei decided to drag me into the wilderness without an explanation," she responded sulkily, missing her shinobi-issued sandals that had much better arch support than the civilian ones she was wearing now.

Kakashi chuckled again, remembering how the majority of the missions they had first gone on had been the same way with him leading the way and his three students dragging after him, only she had had much more energy back then, sharing a little of Naruto's boundless enthusiasm for finally being able to take missions outside the village.

"Well, you have about another hour to endure because it will take us a while to get there," he responded, almost laughing when she let out a long suffering sigh. "Hey, it's better than being at the club, isn't it?"

She had to admit it was true. She was unaccustomed to being cooped up in one place for so long and it felt good to get out and enjoy some air that wasn't thick with smog and soot.

"Yeah, I suppose," she relented, a smile forming on her lips as she took in the sea of gently waving grass that was nearly knee high around them and the dappled shadows of shifting clouds that passed overhead. "That place is starting to feel a little like a cage. I'm glad I'm free for a while."

"You're not the type who takes well to being caged," he said, knowing that her indomitable spirit preferred to go where she wanted, when she wanted, and not stay cooped up in a room only to emerge for a nightly striptease and a couple of lapdances. "And it's starting to show. That's why I arranged this trip."

His words were enough to make Sakura pause. He was doing this for her? She had thought that perhaps he was investigating an aspect of their case and he had brought her along for his own purposes, even now she was hesitant to make more of it than that. It was dangerous to overanalyze the Copy Nin's actions, especially when her own emotions were turbulent. She wouldn't dare guess what he thought of her after all they had been through. He had said she was his partner and only his partner and that seemed like the safest path to travel. However, she couldn't dismiss the nagging thought in her head that if he was going out of his way to do something for her, then maybe more had changed between them in that dimly lit booth than he was willing to let on.

"What do you mean? Where are we going?" she persisted, even more curious about their destination.

"You'll see."

She could hear the smile in his voice even though he wasn't looking at her and suppressed another sigh. He was playing with her, but he wasn't going to let her know he was playing with her. That would be too obvious. Kakashi Hatake was a smart man and enjoyed matching wits, even though half the time he pretended like doing so wasn't worth the effort. She stubbornly decided she wasn't going to play his little game, dropping the topic completely and started a whole new conversation.

"So, absolutely nothing new on your end of the investigation? No selling of pretty girls on the black market or forcing them to body pack drugs across country borders?"

"Nope, nothing I'm afraid," he replied, as if the massive leap between topics was perfectly normal and expected. Sakura glanced over at him and he turned to meet her eyes as they walked. With only the bridge of his nose and one eye exposed, it was so damn hard to gauge his expression. She could tug the mask down right now, do it so quick that he wouldn't have time to respond.

She quickly dismissed the idea. Even if she did manage to move faster than Kakashi, such an invasive maneuver would alter their relationship in a way that even a lapdance had not. She would breech their agreement of trust and that was something she was not willing to do, not matter how much she longed to see his uncovered face again.

"What about you? Any details you could coax out of your roommates? I'm sure you indulge in 'girl talk' often enough that something, even something insignificant, came up."

Sakura shook her head, ignoring Kakashi's smug tone at the mention of "girl talk", letting the warm and pleasant breeze carry her irritation away.

"I've already told you everything I know and when I asked around about the yellow eyed guy at breakfast one day, nobody remembered seeing him."

"And Tsurenai?"

"That woman isn't going to utter a helpful word to me," Sakura said disdainfully. "And besides, I'm more inclined to believe she performed for him because he was willing to cough up a lot of cash, not because they were secretly discussing anything in particular."

"Maybe he's just sizing her up because she's the next one he plans to kidnap," Kakashi noted, breaking off the beaten path once again to a dirt road so narrow, Sakura had to follow behind him in a single file line.

"I'm starting to think the kidnapper would be doing us all a favor if that happened," she responded.

"Even so, Dajaku would be livid if his golden goose went missing. If none of the other girls have come in contact with him, we have to assume that Tsurenai is his next objective and we should monitor her even more carefully."

Sakura took in the scenery around her as they walked. The rolling hills in the distance were beginning to grow higher on either side of them, looking more like small mountains than hills now. Kakashi continued to move ahead and she couldn't help her eyes drifting to his backside, watching him as he walked. Even under his pants she could tell the muscles in his rear were toned and firm and she imagined his back muscles would be the same, although she couldn't see thanks to the pack he carried. More than once she had to tell herself to stop staring so blatantly at his ass. Even without his Sharingan activated, Kakashi had an uncanny way of knowing what was going on around him.

"We don't even know if Yellow is really the culprit," Sakura sighed forlornly. "What if he's not? We'll be back where we started with nothing to go on."

"That may be true, but you got that same feeling in your gut as I did when you saw him. There's no logical reason for it other than just a hunch but you know something is strange about him."

"Yeah," Sakura admitted.

"Never ignore that. Hunches and gut instincts can save a shinobi's life. Something is definitely going on with that guy, and when we find him, we'll find out what."

Kakashi made it all sound so simple. He had conveniently left out the fact that they had no way of tracking this guy down, not to mention they didn't know when he'd be coming back or whether he would even shown up again at all. For all they knew, he could have left town days ago. Sakura was trying very hard not to get discouraged but it was difficult when they were making no progress in the mission and had little choice but to just wait around and hope their target returned soon.

Her eyes drifted to Kakashi's rear again. At least there was one perk to it all, and she never would have noticed it had it not been for this mission. Giving her sensei a lapdance and having to conjure up vivid imagery of sleeping with him had put him in a whole new light, and that light illuminated his wonderfully sculpted ass.

They continued on, the road gradually widening so Sakura didn't have to walk behind him anymore. Though she secretly mourned the loss of the view in front of her, the surrounding scenery was pretty enough to keep her visually stimulated with the grasses around them nearly hip high and deep green. She was beginning to wonder if they would ever reach their destination when she noticed a drop off coming up in front of them. The grass continued beyond it but as she drew closer, she realized there was in fact a sizable lake tucked away next to the cliff that was being fed by a small waterfall a ways to their left. From here she could hear the dull roar that grew louder as they approached until they were finally standing on the edge, grass swaying on either side of them and the rippling water below. There was no river leading away from the lake so Sakura assumed in flowed underground somewhere, but all around the water's edge was a wide strip of sparkling white sand which gave way to more grass that stretched endlessly to the horizon.

The view was absolutely stunning.

"Kakashi," she breathed in delight. "It's so beautiful. What are we doing here?"

"Well," he said, coming up next to her to survey the landscape. "I thought you needed a break and you said before that you missed being able to train. I haven't had much of a chance to get any practice in either so I figured we could take an afternoon to spar a little bit."

Sakura turned her head to gape at him, green eyes wide in disbelief.

"Do you really mean we can spar all afternoon?"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head and laughed softly at her nearly childlike glee.

"Well, I can't exactly spar by myself."

For a moment, she was so caught up in her excitement that she lost herself, throwing her arms around her sensei and hugging him fiercely. Unsure of what to do, Kakashi tentatively embraced her back, returning her hug with uncharacteristic awkwardness. Even if it was a little strange, the feeling of her against him was rather nice, so nice in fact that this alone made the walk out here worth it.

Sakura realized all too soon what she had done and tried to disengage casually without making the gesture any weirder. His distinctive and pleasant masculine scent had already filled her nostrils and the sound of his beating heart still echoed in her ears. She felt her face threaten to flush all over again and turned back to the view before he could see what their close proximity had done to her.

"Well, shall we go then?" she smiled, edging closer to the drop off until her toes hung over the edge.

"After you," Kakashi said with a sweeping gesture and a slight bow.

She didn't need anymore encouragement than that. She jumped gracefully off the ledge, summoning chakra to her feel and landing in a crouch on the water's surface, a series of perfect rings rippling outwards from the point of impact.

Kakashi admired her for a moment from his vantage point. She moved with all the liquid grace that a kunoichi should. She had matured so much since she had been his young student, but this mission had forced her into womanhood by leaps and bounds. She stood and turned to wave at him, giving him a sunny smile that still retained so much of the girl he once knew.

He jumped down from the ledge to land in a similar crouch before straightening and walking to the lake's edge and Sakura followed him, tiny ripples breaking over the water's surface with their every step.

Sakura immediately pulled off her shoes and dug her toes into the warm sand as Kakashi took off his pack, smiling under his mask as she wandered to the water's edge and tested it with one toe.

"It's cold," she announced, crouching and swishing her fingers over the sparkling surface.

"Well, at least it's clean. The river that feeds into it flows in from the west, opposite of Fuzen so it's not polluted with chemical runoff like some other water sources."

She tilted her face upward and let the warmth of the sun wash over her. How long had it been since she indulged in such simple pleasures? The must have traveled southwest because it was definitely warmer here.

"How did you find this place?" she asked, gazing over the sea of rippling grass and the water's mirrored surface. "This is a little out of your way isn't it?"

"I had a mission out this way years ago and came across this place back then," Kakashi replied, unzipping his pack and pulling out two large bottles of water and a couple of bags of dried fruit and nuts.

"Here, take a break before we begin," he said, tossing the bag to her. "We only have a couple of hours before we have to start heading back so stretch while you eat."

Sakura caught the bag easily and stood, bracing one foot in front of the other in a lunge that stretched her calves as she popped an almond into her mouth. All the walking had warmed up her muscles a little but she hadn't had to travel like that since she arrived at Fuzen and didn't want them to cramp or tighten in the middle of training.

Kakashi pulled off his long sleeved shirt, revealing the tight black tank top with attached mask that he wore underneath. Sakura was a secret fan of that shirt, loving the way it clung to his form like a second skin and turned her head to watch as much as she dared without being too obvious. She munched away on a piece of dried pineapple as he folded his shirt and set it next to his pack and then straightened to absently run a hand through messy silver locks.

Mmm, dinner and a show, she mused silently, watching the muscles of his back work with every movement.

"You about ready?" he asked, as Sakura switched legs to stretch out the other calf.

"It may take a little longer to stretch out. I haven't done this for a while remember?" she said through a mouthful of food.

Kakashi nodded and then turned his back to her to rummage in his pack.

"I have something for you," he said, straightening and tossing her something red. She caught it and held it up to discover it was a one piece swimsuit with a halter back that plunged low in a V cut and left her entire back open.

"I know it's not ideal but it's the only on I could find in town that wasn't a tiny bikini, and I didn't think you'd want to spar in one of those."

Sakura could believe that. Most stuff in Fuzen Machi was designed with sex in mind. It was amazing he had found this one at all. Although the back was open, the front was cut high enough that she wouldn't have to worry about falling out of it while being active. She held the gift in her hands, taking in the deep shade of candy apple red, her favorite color.

"If you don't want to wear it during our match that's ok. I just figured you might want dry clothes for the trip back so—"

"Kakashi, I love it," she said with a genuine smile, touched that Kakashi had gone to the trouble to find her something like this, and in her favorite color no less. "I'm putting it on right now."

Although the Copy Nin was an incredibly intelligent and perceptive man, he was discovering that being around Sakura sometimes did things to him that he couldn't really explain. Right now was one of those times and for some reason he found himself staring at her stupidly.

"Here?" he finally asked, uncovered eye watching as she crossed her arms to grasp the bottom hem of her T-shirt to pull it over her head.

Sakura looked at him quizzically.

"Well, I don't see any changing rooms around. Do you?"

"Uh, right," Kakashi muttered, turning around to stare out into the gently swaying grass as his keen hearing picked up the rustling of cloth behind him. He had seen most of it before anyway, the full, supple breasts, the pleasant swell of her hips. Hell, he had even seen her most intimate parts in falsified memories, but he couldn't help but want to see her fully unclothed body for real and his mind was working overtime in putting together an image to coincide with what he was hearing.

"All done," she announced, folding up the clothes she had discarded. "How does it look?"

Kakashi braced himself and turned to find an exquisite vision in pink and red. The suit hugged her curves perfectly and her long braids made her look adorably sexy. She was effortlessly beautiful, not having to put on an act to be so. Yes, she was absolutely mouthwatering when she was on stage in nothing but a thong, but it was all contrived. Here before him was the real Sakura, every bit as sexy as her stage persona and even more endearing. She wasn't so much a sex kitten as she was a strong and beautiful woman unaware of her own charm. He was surprised to find that he liked the true version even better. He usually gravitated towards experienced woman who knew a thing or two about pleasing a man, but he could just imagine her falling all to pieces when he touched her, all her strength and power useless against him as he pulled all the strings that would make her come undone.

"Kakashi, stop staring at me like that," she admonished, crossing her arms over her chest either in exasperation or to self consciously cover her breasts from him.

He realized he had been staring, his eyes probably bugging out of his head.

Smooth…real smooth, Hatake.

She was biting her lip ever so slightly, worrying the soft flesh between her teeth. Dear god, why was she so sexy? Maybe putting her in a swimsuit was a bad idea. Concentrating on fighting would be difficult now that she was encased in smooth, slippery spandex. He was just making his lusting problem worse, and yet, he couldn't deny that the sight of her now blew away any scene he had ever read in his numerous volumes of Icha Icha.

"It looks good," he said, managing to keep his voice casual and calm. "I'm glad I guessed your size right."

Sakura was no fool. If his jaw had been able to drop to the floor, it would have. She wasn't sure if he had intended to ogle her all along during their sparing session but that didn't seem quite like him. He could just get his fill at the club. Hell, she exposed much more skin there anyway, but for some reason, the way his single eye scanned her body and then rested on her face made her insides all fluttery the way no man had ever done while she was on stage. He thought she looked good and for some reason that made her very happy.

She felt the beginnings of a blush coming on and stubbornly fought to keep the flush out of her cheeks. She remembered the way he had complimented her hair and her looks earlier that day as well and a strange curiosity began to well up inside her, the same reckless inquisitiveness that had made her pull down his mask and sample his lips while he was asleep.

Sakura turned slowly, giving him a full body view of the suit and flashing him another smile.

"I've been needing a new swim suit Kakashi. Thank you! Now, come help me stretch."

"You've been stretching Sakura," he said, a silver eyebrow arching at her words.

"I haven't worked out at all since this mission started. I should really stretch out my legs, don't you think?"

"Whatever you need to do," Kakashi shrugged and Sakura wondered why he never seemed to need to warm up. It was like he was ready for battle at any time, all the time. She wondered what his secret was.

Taking a deep breath, she laid down on her back in the warm, dry sand, wondering if she was just adding fuel to the fire that was her problem with Kakashi. This wasn't the smartest thing to do if she wanted to distance herself to preserve their relationship as teacher and student, but he had piqued her curiosity about him the moment he instructed her on her first lapdance and now she wanted to see just how far she could push him.

"Come here," she said, beckoning him over as she kept both legs straight, stretching one out in front of her and lifting the other straight into the air, first at a ninety degree angle and then further as she tested her flexibility. Before this mission, she had been able to push her leg to a full split until her foot rested beside her head. Now she felt her hamstrings strain when her leg was a good six inches from the ground. Her muscles had tightened quickly which was frustrating. She had worked so hard to gain that flexibility as a genin and chuunin.

Kakashi was standing over her, trying to work some moisture into his suddenly dry mouth. The crotch of her swimsuit covered her well enough but still, the way her position opened her up made his mind want to create an image of her in the same position without the red fabric hiding her from his view. In fact, if he looked close enough, he could see the slight indentation between her legs that marked the entrance to—

"Can you help me push my leg down Kakashi-sensei?"

Her request broke him out of his less than pure thoughts and forced his eyes back to her face. Big green eyes were looking at him expectantly and he nodded, kneeling down to straddle the leg in the sand and apply gentle pressure to the back of her thigh and her ankle to force her leg down a little more.

"Brings back memories doesn't it?" she smiled, seemingly unconcerned that he had to lean forward to press her leg down, aligning their hips in a way that would be ideal for other, more pleasurable activities.

"Yeah. You were much smaller then," Kakashi said. He had indeed stretched her the same way when she was no more than thirteen. Her body had been much smaller with no curves to speak of and he had never once had to worry about perverted thoughts entering his mind when he was on top of her like this, but now there were curves where there hadn't been before and she was in that damn swimsuit! That would teach him to do something nice for her.

"I'm going to push, ok?"

Kakashi nodded as he felt her press back against his hands with her leg, the action slowly stretching the muscle fibers in her hamstrings. She grunted softly at the discomfort and forced herself to breathe through it, increasing the pressure until her leg began to shake at the exertion.

This was unfair. This was a cruel, cruel joke the world was playing on him. Here they were, on a secluded beach, with her breathing hard and trembling beneath him. It would only take a small adjustment to press his hips against hers and if he let go of the iron control he was maintaining over his body, he could easy grind a newly formed erection against the apex of her thighs. He could just imagine how the scenario would go. She would be surprised at first, but would quickly succumb to the lust as the heat of desire spread through her. Maybe she'd even grind back and moan a little. He could lean forward and kiss those rosy lips, holding her leg where it was to keep her incapacitated beneath him. He could nip at those succulent breasts until the nipples were straining against the fabric, and maybe, he could slip a finger under the crotch of her swimsuit to find her wet with need. He could pick up where they had left off in the booth and slip a finger into her, slowly at first, and watch her exquisite expression as his digit sank into her bit by bit.

"Ok, that's enough," Sakura panted against the pain.

Kakashi immediately snapped out of his fantasy, feeling a little guilty for letting his mind wander in the first place and released her leg. She experimentally pulled the limb towards her and found she had gained nearly two inches of lost flexibility back. Hopefully the rest would return just as easily.

Though the stretching was uncomfortable, it made her feel like she was actively doing something in the realm of her profession again. The pain was reminding her that she was indeed a kunoichi and not an exotic dancer and prostitute. She welcomed not only the burn in her muscles, but Kakashi's weight atop her. His hips were so close to hers that she would only have to arch a little to get them to meet. She could imagine his body pressed snugly against hers, wrapped up in his warmth and discovered that her heart was beginning to thump rapidly within her chest at their proximity.

"Other leg," she ordered, her voice betraying none of her turbulent emotions.

Kakashi shifted his weight off of her enough for her to switch the positions of her legs before settling back down to stretch out this leg like he had the first. He kept his eyes fixed on her face, afraid that if he let them drift over her form, more naughty visions of her would fill his mind, not to mention he really didn't want Sakura noticing his eyes glued to her chest.

Her eyes were shut against the discomfort as he pushed her leg as far as it would go and held it there. He took the opportunity to study her face without her knowledge. Her skin was smooth and clean and free of makeup, allowing her natural youthful glow to shine through. Her lips were slightly parted as she breathed, allowing oxygen in to fill her lungs and penetrate the muscles she was stretching. Those petal pink lips looked heavenly and he wondered if she had allowed another man to kiss them during any of her interrogations. Knowing Sakura, the answer was probably no.

She began to press her leg against him and he offered the appropriate amount of resistance. It didn't help his current situation that her legs felt firm and silky in his hands. Every time he had been allowed the pleasure of touching her skin, she had been soft and smooth. He wondered if she felt like that everywhere.

Jade eyes fluttered open and she gave him a shy smile when she found his gaze locked on her face.

"You're staring again."

"Am I not allowed to look?" he asked, releasing her leg when she stopped pushing against him.

She grabbed her leg by the ankle and pulled it towards her chest, pleased to see that this limb could also now get about two inches closer to the floor.

"It just seems a little unfair that I never get to see you," she murmured, noticing that Kakashi had not gotten off of her even though his job was done.

"You're looking at me right now aren't you?" he said softly, placing hands on either side of her head to brace himself. There was just enough space between their bodies to keep them from touching, but his position trapped her leg, keeping her in the almost-split position on her back.

"That's not what I mean," Sakura replied, her voice dropping lower as her heart began to race. "You always wear that mask. Why?"

She could feel the heat radiating off his body, mingling with the warmth of the sand beneath her. His face was inches from hers and he showed no signs of moving. She secretly hoped he wouldn't.

Kakashi knew he should get off of her, for laying here was like playing with fire, and yet he could not look away from the hypnotic depths of her green eyes. He had never seen eyes that color, a sparkling shade of jade, and right now they were fixed on him, reflecting mixed emotions of uncertainty and curiosity. Should he satiate her interest, not just about under the mask, but in all of the carnal desires he held as well?

"I wear it to keep from being recognized," he lied, giving her another false reason for constantly covering his face. Sakura saw right through it.

"You are more likely to be recognized with the mask than without it," she pouted. "I bet you have a nice smile under there. I want to see it."

His eyes were drawn to those pouting lips, so lush and full. What if he had just a little taste through the fabric of his mask? Their lips wouldn't even touch. It wouldn't be a real kiss right? So it was ok…

Sakura watched his dark eye refocus a little further down her face as his head dipped dangerously low. She was not in the ideal position to resist with one leg pressed to her shoulder, and honestly, she didn't think she wanted to stop him anyway. His face was coming ever closer to hers. She could feel his breath coming in warm puffs across her own lips and she parted them unconsciously in expectation. He was going to kiss her. Kakashi Hatake was willingly going to kiss her and she realized she wanted it. God, how she wanted it!

A croak of a solitary frog shattered the breathless silence around them into a thousand pieces and Kakashi drew back sharply as if he had been burnt. Sakura's half lidded eyes opened wide at the realization of what had almost happened, and lamented the fact that it hadn't.

Whatever spell had lingered over them was broken as Kakashi hastily picked himself up off of her, brushing the sand from his knees and hands with all the dignity he could muster, turning his back on her to clear his own head and allow her to pull herself together as well.

He was a sick bastard. A pathetic and lonely sick bastard. He was angry at himself for losing his grip on the emotions he had fought so hard to control, but at the same time, he was a little mystified that Sakura hadn't stopped him, had almost welcomed him.

Sakura got to her feet, wincing a little as she finally released the stretch she had been holding for so long. That leg was definitely going to be sore tomorrow. Fantastic.

"Um…Kakashi?" she said, feeling awkward and unsure in light of what had just happened. "I'm ready to spar now if you are."

"Very well," he said, swallowing hard and banishing the memory of her body beneath him, her lips so close to his that he could almost feel their silky texture against his mask. "Let's begin."

They squared off, two sets of feet digging into the sand as they settled into fighting stances. For a breathless moment the two figures were silent, muscles taut and ready as the water and grass rippled peacefully around them.

Sakura charged first in a blur of red, her arm draw back to deliver a powerful punch but Kakashi sidestepped with equal speed, delivering a kick to her back that sent her stumbling forward in the sand. She was quick to recover, springing away from Kakashi's follow up attack towards the water's edge, toes digging into the wet sand as she watched her sensei's movements carefully.

He was in front of her, his covered face blank and unreadable, and then suddenly, he was behind her, moving so fast she had hardly registered the blur of motion, but her reflexes were still sharp enough to avoid his attack by launching herself straight into the arch, body twisting in a graceful backflip that carried her right over Kakashi's head. She landed facing him in a crouch, bare feet resting on the water's surface. He was already coming at her with a kick aimed for her head but she was able to jerk to the side, his limb whizzing so close to her that the fabric of his pants grazed her ear.

Before he could pull back, she grabbed his leg with both hands, and swung him around and away from her. He slid backwards, a spray of water droplets shooting out from his sandaled feet as he faced her once again.

Their eyes locked and a smile formed on her lips. She was having fun, the most fun she had had in some time. She loved hanging out with the girls at the club, but the thrill of the fight was what she lived for as a kunoichi. Her blood was pumping now, rushing in her ears and she felt alive, more alive than she had in weeks, months even.

They both rushed forward, meeting in a clash of punches and blocks, some so powerful that small gusts of wind radiated outwards from the shock of the impact. They moved lightening quick, dancing over the surface of the lake, the ripples showing the path of where they had been when the eye could not follow fast enough.

They seemed evenly matched, a fact that Sakura found surprising. She had been prepared to have her ass handed to her after not training for so long.

They threw simultaneous punches, both of which were caught in the opposite palm of their opponent. They stood in a deadlock and Sakura smiled.

"What's the matter sensei? Am I really an equal match for you or are you just going easy on me?"

"I would never do you such a disservice, Sakura," he chuckled, hand tightening around the fist that it held.

Suddenly, he let go of the chakra concentration on his feet, dropping him beneath the water's surface and pulled Sakura in after him. Sakura squeaked in surprise as she was suddenly immersed in frigid water, water seeping into her lungs. He still held tight to her hand but she drew her knees to her chest and kicked with all the force to could muster in the water's increased viscosity. She felt her feet connect and his grip on her release and she immediately swam for the surface, coughing and sputtering as she sucked in much needed oxygen.

She hastily climbed out of the water, the chakra on her feet and hands making it look like she was climbing out of a hole onto something solid. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area for any trace of Kakashi but she couldn't feel his presence anywhere. He had to be below her in the water somewhere. She would just have to flush him out.

She drew a substantial amount of chakra into her hand and slammed her fist into the water's surface, releasing the energy in one explosive burst. The effect was like a meteor hitting the lake as water splashed out nearly thirty feet into the air and a gargantuan ripple bordering on a wave radiated outwards, splashing over the sand and into the grass.

She had expected to find Kakashi hiding beneath the water's surface but there was nothing there, just water and rocks and some very surprised fish. She sprang away to avoid being swallowed up by the water that was closing in overhead since she had punched nearly to the lake's bottom. She came to rest on the turbulent surface, every muscle taut as she remained alert and waited for him. All around her water rained down in droplets and mist, obscuring her vision and making it impossible to hear anything else but water hitting water.

Suddenly, strong arms encircled her from behind, pinning her arms at her sides and a husky and familiar voice whispered in her ear, cutting through the sound of the rain.

"I've got you Sakura-chan."

The sound sent chills along her spine, chills that were far more pleasurable than they should have been. Goosebumps appeared on her skin that had nothing to do with the cold water as she tensed in his arms.

In all honesty, Kakashi had been fighting her full strength, but he was refraining from using more than taijutsu considering all of his lightning element jutsu could do some serious damage to both of them in this watery environment. He was impressed to see that she still maintained all of her speed and reflexes, but he noticed that her punches didn't hit quite as hard as they used to. He imagined his own attacks lacked their usual bite as well considering he too hadn't been able to train much while in Fuzen Machi, but he expected his stamina was still greater than hers.

Her impressive display of power had been quite a sight, but had not served her purpose. He had been too far towards the edge of the lake to feel the full impact of her attack, though the shock wave had nearly washed him ashore. Under the cover of the mist he had snuck up on her and now she was trapped in his arms, making him the clear victor of the first round. Although he should break away and regroup for the next match, he didn't particularly want to let her go, not when she felt so good against him.

"Kakashi," she murmured in the silence now that the rain had stopped falling and only a heavy mist hung in the air.

"Hmm?"

"You forgot to look underneath the underneath."

An audible pop sounded as her solid form disappeared, his arms now grasping not a soft feminine body, but a log.

The sneaky little vixen had tricked him and he cursed himself for not seeing through it. If she kept that up, he'd have to unleash the Sharingan and then she'd really be in trouble.

He scanned his surroundings, an easier task now that the mist was clearing, but there were few places to hide unless she had taken refuge in the tall grass. The only other possibility was that she was…

He glanced down into the water just in time to see her rocketing towards the surface, arm outstretched and fist ready to deliver a crushing blow. He jumped out of the way a fraction of a second before she broke through the surface, fist slicing the air where he had just been standing. In fact, if he hadn't moved, she would have caught him right between the legs.

He had just avoided a crippling blow to the nuts.

He knew Sakura was apt to have a few tricks up her sleeve but that was just playing dirty. He may not want to produce little Kakashis in the future, but he still wanted all his parts in working order.

Even though her blow hadn't connected, she still had little choice but to follow through with it and that left her open for a critical moment. Kakashi took advantage of the fact and jumped up to deliver a powerful kick to her ribs which sent her flying backwards. She managed to summon the chakra to her back and rear that kept her from sinking into the water, skittering instead over the surface, but the impact had knocked the wind out of her and she wheezed for a moment as she tried to suck air back into her lungs.

"That was a dirty trick Sakura," he said, walking towards her purposefully. "I thought you were better than that."

"It's not my fault men have a natural weak point," she panted, picking herself up off the ground. "You always told me to exploit an enemy's weakness."

Well, that may have been true, but it was also an unspoken rule, at least among men, that you simply did not attack an opponent there, ever.

Sakura knew she couldn't waste time trying to recover and pulled herself together. Kakashi looked upset, not the blood-boiling, if-looks-could-kill-you'd-be-toast type angry that she had seen him exhibit before, but he was certainly not happy.

She remained utterly motionless as he stopped only a few feet away from her, looking outwardly placid but she knew better than to try and guess what he was really thinking.

He was still a little miffed about her less than fair fighting style but he let it slide. A dishonorable enemy might have done the same thing and he should be prepared for anything. He looked her over carefully, his body poised to react if she should strike. Her long braids slowly dripped water, now soaked through and a slightly darker shade of pink. Water droplets glistened on her skin, sliding down her legs enticingly. He let his eyes sweep over her hips and stomach and…oh my. Apparently that water was colder than he had thought, for he had never seen nipples so hard and distended and utterly mouthwatering.

Two hard points strained against the fabric of her swimsuit, reacting so acutely to the cold that he wondered if she could cut glass with them. Instantly, his mind was already in the process of imagining those wonderful little peaks freed from their confines and all the ways he could warm her up.

Sakura followed his gaze and found where it rested. He seemed almost entranced, captivated in a way that was very un-Kakashi like, and her own face immediately turned a similar color to her swimwear.

"Are…are you staring at my chest?"

Her screech brought him crashing back to reality and he instantly realized his mistake. It was too late however to avoid the chakra enhanced fist that was hurtling towards his face.

Kakashi learned very quickly that anger apparently made her stronger.

He skipped over the water's surface like a stone, pain flaring in his cheek from a probable fracture. He managed to right himself in mid air and skidded to a halt, barely prepared to meet Sakura as she barreled after him, blocking her fist with his forearm and feeling new pain reverberate along abused muscle and bone.

Sakura was more embarrassed than mad about him staring at her. After all, she did like the fact that she could attract his attention and that he found her desirable. She just hadn't been prepared for it in the middle of a match and she lashed out in anger to try and cover up her mortification. Regardless of the cause, she had momentarily forced her sensei on the defensive.

She followed up with a series of kicks and punches so quick that Kakashi was barely able to follow them. The fact that there was chakra behind her attacks made them even harder to block, but he managed to fend them off until he was finally able to wrap a hand around her wrist and still her momentarily, now trapped in a battle of strength to see who could force the other one down.

"You're a bastard," she growled through gritted teeth, the memory of his eyes glued to her breasts still vivid in her mind.

"And you should learn how to make use of possible distractions," he chuckled back, his mouth once again speaking without permission, saying things that would only worsen the situation.

"You are such a pervert!" she cried angrily, throwing all of her bodyweight against him, trying to force him backwards. Kakashi was braced for the attack and slid only a few inches back but didn't lose his footing.

Sakura's muscles were straining with the effort. She was braced in a stable lunge but she could feel her back calf begin to tremble with the exertion. She hadn't been this active for quite some time and her body was making that quite apparent. She shoved forward in a last ditch effort to throw him off her but he didn't budge. The movement proved to be more than her body could take for her calf started to go into painful spasms, rendering her entire back leg immobile and drawing an anguished gasp from her lips.

The second she let up, Kakashi pushed her forward and she crumpled under the assault. Not wanting to take another hit, she dispelled the chakra from her feet and instantly slipped beneath the water's surface, leaving Kakashi to stumble forward. As quick as she could, she made the hand signs under water for a teleportation jutsu and was instantly on the surface again, lying on her side in shallow water, sputtering and coughing and grasping her calf, willing the muscles to relax.

Kakashi zeroed in on her location the second she reappeared and could tell immediately something was wrong. She had pushed herself enough into a sitting position that her hear was out of the water but she wasn't standing up and she looked like she was in pain.

"Sakura!" he called, running to her quickly, feet barely touching the lake's surface as his heart raced for reasons other than their mutual workout. He was at her side in seconds, kneeling down next to her with genuine concern.

"I'm ok," she said through gritted teeth, her calf still spasming painfully. "I just overworked a muscle. Give me a minute and I'll be fine."

Kakashi let out a soft sigh of relief, glad that it was nothing serious.

"Alright. Let's take a break. You were fighting pretty hard for someone who hasn't done this in a while. Easing back into things isn't your style is it?"

"Well I can hardly afford to take it easy when fighting someone like you, can I?" she said, putting on a brave face and attempting a smile that came out more like a grimace.

That was probably true. If she hadn't constantly been on her toes, he would have defeated her easily. He should have taken things a little slower to spare her possible injuries and felt a pang of guilt for letting this happen to her.

"Come on, let's get you out of the water."

He slipped one arm under her shoulders and another beneath her knees and lifted her as if she weighed nothing at all. Indeed, he had carried men almost three times her size in the past.

"Wait, Kakashi, you don't need to—"

"Shush. Don't argue with your sensei," he admonished as he carried her the short way to the narrow strip of beach. He looked down to find her staring up at him with equal concern.

"Kakashi, is your cheek swollen?"

It was probable, considering just talking sent electric fragments of pain through most of his face, but he was never one to complain.

"It's nothing," he said, dropping to his knees and laying her down gently in the sand. "Just worry about you."

"It's from when I hit you, isn't it?" she persisted, pushing herself up on her hands and trying to get a better look at him.

"Take care of yourself first, then you can take a look," he said sternly, leaning back just enough to be out of her reach.

The kunoichi gave an exasperated sigh and began to tend to her leg. The muscle had stopped twitching but it was still incredibly tight and some of the muscle fibers had torn under the stress. She closed her eyes and channeled healing chakra to her hands until they glowed a faint green and placed them both over the injured area, instantly dispelling the pain and mending the torn tissue. She then massaged it gently in upward strokes, working out the tightness until all traces of injury were gone.

"There, all fixed," she said hastily, more concerned with his wellbeing than her own. "Lay back and let me have a look."

He allowed her to push him back into the sand and didn't have time to protest the fact that she was already straddling his hips as she leaned in close to his face. However, when her fingers slipped under the material of his mask, his hand shot out to wrap around her wrist, halting her actions.

"Sakura," he said, his low voice holding a warning.

"I can't heal you with the mask on. I need to examine you."

"Then let it be. I'll be fine."

"Kakashi, I can see that it's already swollen. It needs medical attention and even if you wait until we get back to Fuzen, there's not a doctor in that city as good as I am."

The man beneath her still seemed reluctant to let go of her wrist.

"Kakashi, please."

Kakashi met her emerald gaze with his uncovered eye, his damp hitai-ate still covering his Sharingan. A lot more was at stake here than just his health. Letting her see his face would mean showing her something few had ever seen. He was quite aware that his younger students had spent a great deal of time and energy trying to see beneath his mask and he had made it something of a game to tease them.

But now it seemed the time had come to reveal what he always kept covered. As much as he hated to admit it, Sakura was right. There wouldn't be a doctor as skilled as her for miles and perhaps, the only medic better than his pink haired partner was back in Konoha, sitting behind a large wooden desk and sipping sake when she should be signing papers.

At last, he hesitantly loosened his grip on her wrist and let his hand fall away, a silent signal that he would permit her to continue, that he trusted her enough to reveal his true self to him.

Sakura gave a slight nod, understanding the importance of what was about to transpire. Even though she had seen it before, her heart was beating wildly within her chest as her fingers eased the dark material over his nose to let it pool around his neck. She was now staring into his beautiful face once more, a perfect blend of aristocratic and masculine features. But now his right cheek was marred with what was quickly becoming an angry looking bruise in various shades of purple and blue, his face slightly distorted by swelling. However, even with his injury, he was undeniably handsome.

Not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable, she forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand, slipping into medic mode as she brushed fingertips lightly over the skin, causing him to hiss softly in pain. There was no laceration, but the swelling was too much for a simple bruise. Summoning chakra to her fingers, she let the energy seep under his skin to assess the damage.

Sure enough, she detected a hairline fracture in the lower portion of the bone making up his eye socket. She was lucky she hadn't hit him harder and splintered the bone which would have almost undoubtedly robbed him of vision in his remaining normal eye.

"You have a fracture," she announced softly as she sent a pulse of chakra into the tissue to numb the pain and begin the healing process.

Kakashi was immediately aware of the cool, soothing tingle in his face that washed away the pain as well as the odd itching sensation of his body regenerating as bone knit back together. He watched Sakura as she worked, noting her brow creased in concentration, eyes focused on his cheekbone while she acted every bit the professional she was.

The damage was not serious and didn't take long to mend and before long the green light of her chakra faded away, leaving not so much as a hint of discoloration in its wake. She allowed herself to drag a thumb over the healed area briefly, enjoying the warm feeling of his skin.

"I'm sorry I hit you so hard," she said softly, allowing her eyes at last to drink in his entire face.

Kakashi's lips quirked upward into a slight smirk, a smirk that only made him more devastatingly handsome, and Sakura suddenly felt as if someone had released several restless butterflies inside her stomach.

"I'm sorry I'm such a lecherous old man," he replied, his eye creasing slightly but not looking at all out of place on his face.

"You're not old," she said, smiling in return. "In fact, you're very…handsome."

Even as she said the words she wondered if it was wrong to do so. It was unwise to encourage bad behavior, especially if she didn't want him knowing she was possibly forming a little crush on her teacher…or maybe she did want him to know.

Kakashi didn't seem put off by her compliment. In fact, his expression showed traces of amusement.

"Just make sure that it's a secret you'll take to your grave," he said, his voice to warm and light to sound threatening.

"It's a pity you keep your face covered all the time," she said, her fingers itching to brush away a piece of silver hair that had fallen across his forehead, but she managed to refrain, feeling like she had already overstepped her boundaries by complimenting him.

"Perhaps," Kakashi said, his expression serious, but a telltale light shone in his eyes. "But it allows me to get through the day without having to fend off swarms of lovestruck women,"

"That's not why you really wear the mask, is it?" Sakura asked, fairly convinced he was lying again but not entirely sure.

"I guess you'll never know, will you Sakura-chan?"

He offered her a smile, a true and genuine smile and Sakura found herself wondering if she had ever seen anything so wonderful. His teeth were white and even, quite the contradiction to Naruto's exaggerated fantasies involving oversized teeth and undersized lips. Maybe he was serious about hiding his face from women. She was fairly certain every woman in Konoha would be falling all over themselves around him if they knew what was beneath the mask.

She said nothing, but watched on in dismay as he tugged his mask up over his face. She wondered if she should tell him that this wasn't the first time she had seen him maskless, that she had been sneaky and conniving while he was asleep, stealing not only a look at his face, but a kiss from his lips as well. She was afraid he would be angry at her and didn't want to spoil what was turning out to be a terrific day, despite the injuries they had received. She might tell him someday, but not now.

"Well, ready for another round?" Kakashi asked, pushing to his feet. "We have time for one more match before we have to head back."

"Of course, but only if you promise not to go easy on me because of my leg."

He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Do you think you can keep up?"

Sakura grinned.

"Just try and take me down."

XXXXX

By the time they had beat each other into the ground, reaching a stalemate since neither could overpower the other, at least without the use of the Sharingan and elaborate jutsu, the sun had started to set. The sky was ablaze with fiery colors that reflected off the water, making it look like a pool of amber and crimson.

"It's beautiful," Sakura breathed for the second time that day, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear that had worked its way out of her braid.

A light breeze had picked up, still carrying with it the warmth of the day and ruffled her bangs against her forehead.

Kakashi stole a glance at her as he hitched his pack onto his shoulder, silently thinking that the woman was far more beautiful than the landscape.

Their journey back was pleasant, though both were tired and could already feel soreness creeping into their muscles. Sakura figured she would have just enough time to shower and get ready for the show once she returned, although she would have preferred to spend more time alone with Kakashi.

Today had allowed them to speak in a way they hadn't really been able to do since they journey to Fuzen Machi. They didn't have to talk explicitly about the mission or solve impossible problems. They could just be together and enjoy each other's company and it was a sensation she hadn't realized she had missed so much until now. Going back to catching rare glimpses of him exchanging information remotely would be depressing indeed.

Something big had happened today, they both could feel it and it had everything to do with him willingly showing her his face, even though circumstances were most certainly in her favor. It wasn't so much the fact she had seen him, but the trust that came along with it, the faith that she would keep his secret to herself. That wouldn't be a problem now, because Sakura wasn't sure she wanted to share him with anyone else, not even Naruto or Sasuke and certainly none of the other women in the village. The fact that she was one of the few privy to his dashing good looks made her giddy, even more so now that Kakashi had actually allowed it.

It had been dark for some time by the time they reached the club. The second they neared the town, the stars overhead had been obscured by heavy clouds, the warm winds cooling with every step they took towards the sinful city.

There hadn't been so much as a goodbye upon their parting and she supposed it wasn't necessary considering he would be watching her soon, but she had kind of hoped for one anyway. He had melted into the shadows and kept his distance, making sure the two of them weren't seen together near the club, but making sure she made it inside safely.

As soon as the heavy doors shut behind her, Kakashi exhaled heavily. Today had been quite a day and he wasn't sure what to make of it. Unexpected things had happened, things that might not necessarily be good, but if they were bad, why was he feeling better than he had in weeks? The way her face had lit up when he told her he had stolen her away to spar was a memory he would relive over and over when he was alone, remembering how the sunlight had glinted off her hair, a feminine slash of pink against a blue and green backdrop.

She had seen his face and there was no taking it back, but he could not bring himself to feel any regret over the situation. She had not fallen for him instantly, fawning all over him like women had in the past. She was too good for that, even if she was still hung up over Sasuke. Perhaps it was good she had seen his face. He could tell she liked what she saw. It would keep her from thinking about her dark haired teammate back home and that was certainly better than—

Kakashi cut off that train of thought viciously. He may be older and wiser than the last Uchiha, but he was not convoluted enough to think he was better for Sakura in any way. He was just as messed up as Sasuke. Just as twisted and broken, just as unsuitable for her. The fact that he was contemplating being suitable for anyone was a strange thing in itself and Kakashi was realizing that the events that took place that day were indeed not entirely good if he was thinking this way.

Yes, today had indeed been a curious day.

XXXXX

Sakura felt suffocated the minute she stepped into the club, the stale air that carried the stench of cigarettes made her long for the purer air she had breathed that day.

Juu was arranging tables and a barmaid (not the one Kakashi had been flirting with) was wiping down the bar. The light seeped under the door of Dajaku's office and she figured it would be a good idea to at least check in with him before she went upstairs to shower.

She made her way across the floor, seeing the door was ajar and was just about to push it open when she heard an angry female voice, Tsurenai's voice.

"So what are you saying? You're going to replace me with that little bitch? She hasn't even been here this long. She doesn't have what it takes to bring in the customers."

"You know the club has been packed lately," Dajaku answered, his voice sounding tired but stern. "And most of the new blood is after either you or her. You spend more time in the private rooms then on stage so it would be beneficial to keep the crowds occupied while you offer your private services."

"I thought that's what all the other dancers were for. Why does she need to be glorified?"

Her voice held so much malice and venom that Sakura could almost taste its bitterness in the air. She imagined that if she could see her, her turquoise eyes would be blazing with anger.

"It would only be one or two nights a week," Dajaku assured. "Don't you want a break now and then?"

"What I want is for you to get it through your thick skull that the men here come for me. I helped you build this club, finding girls for you with the condition that I would be the star. You think I'm going to sit back and let some inexperienced little slut take my place?"

"Tsunenai, it's not like that. This is only temporary so that—hey, where are you going?"

The office door slammed open so suddenly that Sakura almost had her face flattened by it. An infuriated Tsurenai appeared, heeled boots clicking as she moved. As soon as she saw Sakura she glared hatefully, not even trying to hide her contempt.

"So, did you get the little shit aborted?" she snapped, pointing a manicured finger at her stomach.

"W-what?" Sakura stammered, absolutely clueless as to what Tsurenai was talking about.

"Sure, keep up the angelic act, baby face," she sneered before turning and stalking away, leaving the kunoichi completely dumbfounded.

"Hana, is that you?" Dajaku called from inside the office, forcing Sakura to suspend questioning the purple haired woman for the moment.

"Yeah, it's me," she said, entering the office and closing the door.

"Good god," he said, taking in her appearance. "You look like hell." She had changed back into her raggedy clothes that were now sweaty and dirty from her travels. She had some minor scrapes and bruises and her hair had fuzzed enough to make one neat braids messy and tangled. "What the hell happened?"

Sakura opened her mouth to explain but he waved a dismissive hand, apparently deciding he didn't want to hear it.

"I'll cut the bullshit since you obviously have a lot of work to do before the show tonight,"

Sakura was irritated that he found her less than perfect state to be so offensive, but didn't argue.

She waited patiently for Dajaku to draw a deep breath, wondering what idiocracy he was going to spring on her this time, but nothing could have prepared her for his next words.

"Hana," he said seriously, folding his hands on his desk carefully so as not to wrinkle his silk shirt. "I want you to become this club's new main attraction."

XXXXX

And there you have it. Comments are always appreciated and make me feel like all this effort is worth it if someone is actually reading it. Part 13 will be out…who knows when.


	13. Chapter 13

I finished this chapter sooner than expected, which is always a pleasant surprise. I'll probably get out one more chapter after this before school starts in September so enjoy them while you can!

XXXXX

Sakura stared hard at the man seated behind the expensive wooden desk, wondering if during her sparring match with Kakashi she had taken a blow to the head that had affected her hearing.

"You want me to do what?" she asked flatly.

"Oh don't be nervous, you'll be a sensation," Dajaku assured, not bothering to repeat himself or wait for her to agree to his plans. "We'll start you at a couple nights a week and see how successful you are. If all goes well, you could be the face on my new promotional posters."

His silver eyes were glinting like the coins he craved and Sakura had finally wrapped her head around what he wanted her to do.

"No," she said shortly, wiping the smile off his face. "It's out of the question. You're not going to parade me around up there just so you can make more money."

"But Hana," Dajaku persuaded, turning on his charm on full blast and offering her a disarming smile. "This isn't about the money. It's about your mission."

"Oh really?" Sakura scoffed, having a hard time believing that Dajaku thought about anything but money and how to make more of it.

"Yes. You have been here how long? Over two months?"

Sakura nodded.

"And have you made any progress in finding where my girls are?"

Sakura stiffened slightly.

"We have a suspect," she ground out, annoyed that he was bringing her failure out into the open to use it against her.

"Yes, but you've had this suspect for weeks and still haven't managed to bring him to justice. Don't look so surprised, Hana. I inquired about the mission when your partner was here yesterday."

She hadn't expected Dajaku to know the details of their mission status. The fact that they were having trouble solving the mystery put her in a compromised position and that wasn't a position she was fond of.

"So I was wondering if maybe it would attract the perpetrator to put you on a pedestal, to make you so appealing that he couldn't resist."

Sakura eyed him skeptically. She had no doubt that his ulterior motive for this was to make more cash by exploiting her, but she had to tread carefully. She didn't want to get weaseled into his scheme or piss him off enough so he would fire both her and Kakashi.

"But he's never targeted a star before. Tsurenai is still here after all."

"But he did go after Aiya. She was on her way to becoming big, a real sensation. She had a huge fan base and on some nights, made as much as Tsurenai, maybe more."

"So, wouldn't you think it would be better if I stayed how I am now? Promoting me like that would be too high profile. It would be riskier for the kidnapper to target me," Sakura countered.

"Or maybe it would get his attention and draw him to you," Dajaku smirked.

"Do you really want to make that gamble?"

"I can't see the results being worse than what they are now."

Damn it! The man had a point and he knew it. He was sitting there looking so smug that she itched to smack him upside the head. He had backed her into a corner somehow and she didn't see much of a way out of it. She supposed it wasn't that bad. All this would mean is that she would dance solo for a few songs and possibly have her pick of the men, which would be a good thing. She just didn't like the idea that Dajaku would be plumping up his wallet because of it.

"When would you want me to start?" she asked cautiously, crossing her arms over her chest in a self conscious gesture meant to distance herself from him. He was getting his way and she didn't like it.

"Tomorrow of course," he said smoothly, as if it were the obvious answer. "Make sure you watch Tsurenai tonight to see how she does things. You'll have to strip completely if you're going to take her place so take notes."

Sakura's eyes widened. Strip completely? As in…naked? In front of all those men? Oh, hell no.

"Now wait just a minute!" she exclaimed, taking a step towards the manipulative man. "There is no way in hell I'm going to—"

A knock at his door silenced her mid rant and a moment later, Misaki's curly blond head peeped in the doorway.

"Hi," she said brightly. "I hope I'm not interrupting but…"

Her blue eyes focused on Sakura and her current dirty, bedraggled state and she gasped.

"Hana! What happened at the clinic? You look…tired. Is everything all right?"

Clinic? What the hell was she talking about? It was like when Tsurenai mentioned her having an…abortion?

"What—" Sakura began, but Dajaku cut her off.

"It was just a scare. She wasn't really pregnant it seems so she didn't have to have an abortion after all," he cut in smoothly. "So she'll be able to work tonight. Isn't that wonderful?"

Sakura's head whipped around so quickly to look at him that she was mildly surprised she didn't break her own neck. That was his excuse for her being gone all day? An abortion? Of all the slimy, low life little—

"That is great news!" Misaki said with a smile. "I'm so glad Hana. We were all so worried."

Sakura was too angry to form a coherent sentence. She just glowered at Dajaku, wondering just how low he was capable of going.

Misaki glanced at Dajaku's expensive gold watch and gasped at the time.

"Wow, I have to go get ready. You should too, Hana. Come on, let's go."

Sakura numbly let herself be pulled out of the office, feeling so angry that she didn't have the capacity to process it all.

"Oh yeah," Misaki called over her shoulder to Dajaku. "There's someone outside who wants to see you."

Misaki hurried them across the club's recently swept floor. Sakura could see that the front doors were open a crack and that there was someone outside but she couldn't see who. However, she detected a faint trace of chakra and guessed that the person was a shinobi of some sort. She wondered why Dajaku would meet with someone like that.

"You're very lucky, Hana," Misaki said softly as the entered the dressing room and began to climb the stairs. "You didn't have to lose a baby today."

Her normally cheerful voice sounded so sad that Sakura couldn't help look over at her. There was grief etched into her face, grief that didn't belong there.

"Have you?" she asked softly.

"Yes. Jitsu, too. It happens sometimes in places like this. Jitsu was so upset by it that she won't even give lapdances anymore, let alone do more than that. I hear she wanted to keep the baby but Dajaku said he'd throw her out of the club if she did. I think we've all been to the clinic at least once at some point. Sometimes it turns out to be nothing, like you today. But sometimes…"

Misaki drifted off and Sakura saw so much sadness there in the normally vibrant girl that she thought she would hear her heart break at any moment. No wonder Jitsu refused to dance for men. These women were forced to kill lives growing inside them. They didn't even have a choice. Sakura didn't know what was worse, that or the fact that the act of creating children was cheapened for them, was a job, nothing more.

Without thinking, she embraced Misaki in a fierce hug and she hugged back, practically clinging to her. Once again she was gripped with fiery determination to save these girls from both the kidnapper, and the rest of the daily horrors they faced. She didn't know how, but she would. She would carry them all to Konoha on her back if she had to, but something had to change for these girls because there was no way she would continue letting them live a life so bleak.

Eventually, Misaki pulled away and took a deep breath before letting her customary smile light up her face again.

"Come on, we won't be ready for the show if we don't hurry."

She looked over Sakura's muddy clothes and frizzy hair with curiosity.

"How did you get so dirty anyway?"

"Um…I fell," Sakura said with a nervous laugh, trying to play it off.

"Really? I never thought you were the clumsy type," Misaki mused as the entered the second floor and headed for the showers.

"Yeah," Sakura said. "Everyone has their moments I guess."

XXXXX

It was funny how showing her tits to a room full of strangers had become routine, normal. Funny, but somehow she wasn't laughing. Now, with Dajaku's new scheme of making her a headliner, would stripping naked and showing these men everything feel just as normal as well?

While she was dancing, she scanned the crowd for the mysterious yellow eyed man and knew Kakashi was doing the same from the back of the room. It looked like once again they'd have little luck finding their target.

Since she was one of three girls dancing on the large platform by the dressing rooms anyway, when it was Tsurenai's moment to shine, she slipped back into the wings to watch her performance. She was usually giving lap dances at this point or at least searching for a possible suspect so she never really bothered to watch, but she needed to now if it was going to be her on that stage tomorrow.

She took the stage like a purple haired goddess, the long strands worn loose, clothed today in a white bikini top that was sheer and gauzy with a skimpy bikini cut bottom that tied on the side to match. If the lighting wasn't so bad, Sakura guessed the outfit would have been see-through, not that it mattered.

She walked gracefully, proudly, on silver stilettos, as if she were the only woman meant for that stage, like she owned it. The way she looked at the men before her was that of a queen surveying her subjects and that they should be honored to see her in such a way. Sakura wouldn't be at all surprised to discover Tsurenai was actually thinking exactly that as she moved considering her superiority complex.

She swayed her hips as she walked, every step oozing sex, weaving between the poles, hands smoothing down her sides until she reached out to grasp the nearest pole and effortless pull herself up, splitting her legs so everyone got a good view of what was barely covered before spiraling back down.

She had hardly begun and already the men were hollering at her, shoving money at her.

She smiled slyly, knowing full well that every man in the audience wanted her.

She sunk to the ground and crawled on her hands and knees, ass waving provocatively as she made her way to the edge of the stage so men could slip money under her lacy white garter.

Once she had made her way around the perimeter, she crawled to the center, just out of reach of the front row and began to grind against the floor, hands cupping her own breasts and lips parting as if in supreme pleasure. Her acting was damn good because even if Sakura had never had sex herself, she was pretty sure, women were supposed to make faces like that, eyes closed, head tipped back, back arched, face slightly contorted in something akin to pain, but different somehow. Sexier, much sexier.

The crowd went wild and she smirked, rolling onto her back and sliding a hand between her legs. She proceeded to writhe and arch her back as if she were touching herself right on stage. It was all an act of course, but Sakura's stomach clenched at the thought of taking her place tomorrow. If Dajaku honestly expected her to do this then he needed a serious reality check. There was no way she was going to masturbate on stage. Hell, she hardly did it when she was alone, unless she was alone with Kitsune's books…or had Kakashi on the brain, not that she had really gotten anywhere. Every time she felt she might reach the edge, she was interrupted by one of her many housemates.

Kakashi was not a thought she was in the mood to entertain, so she pushed it away and refocused on watching the dancer, who was now standing up and making her way back to the pole.

The beat had changed and the lights trained on her shifted to red. She pulled at the strings of her top as she walked and when she turned around, she let it fall away, shamelessly revealing full breasts painted bright pink by the lights.

The crowd roared and Tsurenai merely smiled, letting her hands come up to fondle her own body again and arching into it as if the feeling were exquisite. Sakura was beginning to think that maybe she really did get off on performing, an exhibitionist in every sense of the word.

Tsurenai climbed the nearest pole and wrapped her body around it in all sorts of provocative positions, making sure to put her boobs, ass and crotch on display. Sakura had forgotten how shameless she was when dancing. It didn't look artistic like when Miyabi did it, or mysterious and sensual like when Tora danced. It was pure sex, raunchy and raw, and Sakura was sure she couldn't and wouldn't put on a display like this tomorrow and if that weasel of a club owner didn't like it, then tough.

While on the pole, she tugged at the tie on her bikini briefs and then swung her body around until her legs were spread wide in the splits, one hand reaching behind her to grasp the pole and the other holding on right beneath her rear. The material of her bottoms fell away to reveal her in all her glory, feminine folds spread wide making her as exposed as she could possibly be, and Tsurenai seemed to love every minute of it.

Men practically howled, cheering and shouting obscenities concerning just what they'd like to do to her. She loosened her grip and slid down the pole, still in the spread position until she moved to land on her feet at the last minute. She walked the stage again, and had so much money thrust at her that it barely fit in her leg garter and the similar one on her arm. She smiled at the crowd innocently as she crouched on silver heels before opening up her thighs again and leaning back against the pole, shamelessly showing off what she had and eliciting another chorus of cheers.

Sakura turned away and walked into the dressing room. She had seen enough. There was no way in hell she was going to do that tomorrow.

She made her way over to her dressing table and leaned on its scratched surface, looking at herself in the mirror. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and she had gone heavy on the eyeliner since she didn't have a lot of time to apply anything else after healing all her scrapes and bruises in the shower.

She closed her eyes and groaned. Tomorrow she was going to strip naked and dance. Sure she would get a lot more attention but she didn't think she really wanted it. And Kakashi, he'd be seeing her, all of her. What would he think?

She remembered the breathless moment earlier that afternoon when she thought he was going to kiss her. What had happened between them? Was the chemistry she felt so strongly affecting him as well? Was he possibly feeling that mysterious pull? Perhaps he had been lying when he said his body had only reacted in that booth because she was pretty, female and mostly naked. Did that mean he was attracted to her the way she was attracted to him? The thought was tantalizing and at the same time, frightening, because if he was, he was going to see her tomorrow, and that could do two things; make him want her more, or disgust him and make him not want her at all. She knew he would understand it was all for the mission, but if even so, the thought of him dismissing whatever he might have felt for her after the whole world had seen the goods was upsetting.

Sakura shook her head to clear away the thoughts. Why did it matter? It's not like she was going to act on what she was feeling. Being with Kakashi was wrong anyway. If she was going to explore sex, her former teacher was not the man to do it with…it was just too bad that it had already happened with him to some degree, and he had forced her to see her own sexuality in a way she never had before, and once again she found herself in an incredibly awkward position, a position she never should have been in, but mission orders had somehow dictated otherwise.

"Damn it," she breathed, looking at herself in the mirror again and taking in her transformed image from Plain Jane to sex kitten, wondering which image Kakashi preferred. "What the hell do I do now?"

XXXXX

The moment she opened her eyes the next morning, she knew it was not going to be a good day. Her body was stiff and achy and it felt like someone had beat the hell out of her while she had slept on blissfully unaware. That's what she got for going so long without regular training and then jumping back in full throttle. Her body was merely telling her how much it hated her right now, and she got the message loud and clear.

She dragged herself to the bathroom, practically crawling in her pain, and took a hot shower while she channeled the chakra within her body to sore muscles, draining away stagnant lactic acid and letting the water beat some life into her tired body.

She wasn't ready to get out of the safe haven of the bathroom and start her day, but she couldn't stay in there forever. Tonight she would strip as a soloist, a headliner, and be the main attraction, although she felt more like she was going to be the main course, served to a ravenous pack of wolves for the sake of Dajaku making a little extra cash.

She staggered out to the common room, still not feeling a hundred percent, and flopped onto the couch where Tora was engrossed in a book and Jitsu was painting her toenails a sultry shade of red.

"Morning," Sakura mumbled, contemplating whether she should curl up and fall back asleep right here.

"Hey there," Tora said gently with a smile as she put down her book. "How are you, honey?"

"I've been better," she admitted. After all, it wasn't every day when it felt like you were hit by a train.

A warm hand closed around hers and she looked down to find Jitsu at her side, looking up at her with impossibly green eyes, eyes that held so much sympathy and pain that Sakura's breath caught. She had seen that pained look before in the eyes of her childhood crush. Sasuke had harbored so much hurt and resentment and yet he had refused to let her in to share the burden. Perhaps he hadn't trusted her, or perhaps it was just his way to refuse to let anyone shoulder his troubles but himself. But the eyes of the girl before her were honest, open. She had only known her a short time but Jitsu would keep nothing from her.

"I'm glad it was only a scare," she breathed softly, giving her hand a squeeze. "It would be terrible to have to lose another one for the sake of this place."

A contemptuous tone found its way into her voice as she said the last word and Sakura was beginning to understand more and more that while this building was a haven, it was also a prison. They had no freedom here. Sure they could go outside, but in reality, they were still tethered to a life of selling themselves, exploiting their bodies for a dirty man's profit. They didn't even have the right to choose who fathered their child, or whether or not they could keep the baby.

A girl Jitsu's age shouldn't have to know what that was like, but she did, and the pain showed in the lucid green depths of her eyes.

Sakura squeezed her hand in return as her own heart constricted painfully in her chest.

"Yes, it would be," she replied as Tora put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I was a couple months along when I found out, honey," the dark haired woman said, sadness lacing her voice. "In another couple weeks I would have started to show, but of course Dajaku didn't let it get to that point. When he found out, I was in the clinic the next day. I didn't fight it though. I knew I didn't have a choice so I let them take the baby."

"Tora," Sakura whispered sympathetically, not knowing what else to say to comfort her.

"I was well into my second trimester," Jitsu spoke up, her gaze distant and unfocused as if she were envisioning it all over again. "I didn't tell Dajaku and made everyone promise not to say a word about it. The man it happened with…he was my first. He came to the club often and would always ask for me specifically. I know it's silly to say now, but I really felt something with him. Sometimes, when he'd pay for a lapdance, he wouldn't make me dance. He would just talk with me and ask how I was, like he cared. He was kind and handsome and came to see me at least once a week for months."

Sakura said nothing as she sat and listened to the tale, heart growing heavier for the girl with every passing moment.

"I finally got the nerve to ask him if he wanted all of me and he accepted. He was tender and passionate and all the things I never thought I would ever experience in a place like this. He didn't know it was my first time until afterwards and when I told him, he smiled and thanked me for giving him such a precious gift.

"I thought that maybe he was falling in love with me, and that he would take me away from this place. I never knew what he did for a living but I didn't care. I'd follow him anywhere.

"Weeks later when I told him about the baby, he panicked, asking if I was sure it was his, but I had never slept with anyone but him. He told me to get rid of it and those words broke my heart. I said I wanted to keep it, wanted to be with him and he laughed, called me naive and stupid. He said I was a whore and that's all I'd ever be and couldn't believe I'd even considered being his wife. I never saw him after that."

Sakura squeezed her hand harder, but kept silent, even though she had all kinds of choice words for Jitsu's lover.

"Even so, I wanted to keep the baby, but it's hard to hide a body that is exposed all the time. When it was obvious my stomach was growing, Dajaku took me to the clinic, with me kicking and screaming the whole way. I put up such a fight that they had to knock me out. When I woke up, my stomach was flat again. My baby was gone."

Both Sakura and Tora had remained silent during her story. Tora had heard it before, but Sakura was shocked into speechlessness. She was so appalled by the nameless man and what he had done that she couldn't form a sentence. What words could she say to comfort her anyway? She had endured things Sakura would have never even imagined. Sure she had pined for someone, loved them so much it hurt to breathe, but nobody had ever intentionally toyed with her emotions or played her for a fool or told her to abort a baby she thought was created out of love. It was too much to ask anyone to undergo.

"Jitsu….gods, I'm so sorry," Sakura murmured, knowing there wasn't enough sincerity in the world to show how much she meant it.

The brown haired girl shook her head sadly, pin straight strands falling into her eyes.

"It's over now. I have to move on," she said, being brave in a way that Sakura had never been. "But ever since then I vowed never to sleep with anyone again for as long as I work here. I won't even give lapdances. I can't. I won't.

"Aiya was at my side through the whole thing. She's the best friend I've ever had and she always told me it would be ok as long as we had each other, but now I don't even have her anymore and…and I…"

She trailed off and Tora gently pulled her up by the arm and pulled her towards her on the couch, cradling her head to her chest in a motherly gesture. Sakura supposed it was all Tora had, for she had lost her dream of being a mother.

"Who else?" Sakura breathed, wondering how many other women here had had to give up motherhood. "How many people does Dajaku have to torture?"

"Kitsune had one, but she didn't really want the baby, so she's alright with it. We suspect Tsurenai to have had two, but of course we'll never know with her. It's her own business, I suppose. All of us here have had multiple scares though. It's just a part of life for us now."

"It's horrible," Sakura whispered. "It shouldn't be like this. It's not fair."

But even as she spoke the words, she knew all too well that life was seldom fair.

"We'll make it through, honey," Tora whispered, drawing Sakura in to her as well. "Somehow we'll make it through."

She began to absently run her fingers through her still damp strands, her long nails running lightly over her scalp and the sensation was soothing, but did little to lift the weight on her heart. She was a medic and as such, had delayed her feminine cycle indefinitely while she was on assignment here. Pregnancy was not a possibility, but even so, as a woman, she could understand the fear of finding oneself pregnant with a child whose father might be unknown

She snuggled close to Jistu against Tora's ample chest, letting the human contact and warmth sooth her momentarily.

That was how Kitsune found them when she entered the room.

"So why wasn't I invited to the slumber party?" she laughed, unaware of the sober conversation that had just occurred. "Come on you guys, Miyabi is almost done making breakfast and even Misaki is awake."

It felt good to be all warm and snuggly on the couch, but Sakura's stomach was threatening to rumble, so she hauled herself to her feet and stretched, trying to limber up body parts that were still slightly stiff and sore.

Sakura noted Kitsune looked particularly radiant for it being so early, skin and hair gleaming. She looked like a model even in ratty jeans and a shirt with so many holes in it that it wouldn't be decent much longer

"We're all going out to grocery shop later since the cupboard is pretty bare. Are you all coming along?" she asked.

Sounds of affirmation sounded from Tora and Jitsu, and it seemed the mood was already brighter now that the fiery redhead had made an appearance.

"I'm in," Sakura said, realizing she hadn't been on any outings with the girls lately thanks to mission related issues always coming up.

"Awesome," Kitsune smiled. "Now, the last one to the kitchen does the dishes!"

She dashed off, laughing mischievously, leaving the other girls behind.

"She's in a good mood today," Jitsu mused.

"She should be. I heard her moaning like a maniac last night while she was servicing someone."

"Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?" Sakura wondered aloud.

"Who knows with that girl," Tora sighed. "She loves sex way too much, honey. She's the only one that might actually enjoy what she does."

"You'd think she would get along better with Tsurenai then," Sakura stated.

Jitsu giggled softly. It was true the purple haired diva seemed to enjoy being fantasized about, especially if that made her a star.

"Come on," Sakura said. "If the three of us take up dish duty, we should have it done in no time."

The two of them agreed and they set off for breakfast together.

XXXXX

The streak of good weather they had been having seemed to be coming to a close. The temperature was dropping again and dark clouds were hanging in the sky once more, threatening to break open and drench the unlucky travelers below.

Six girls didn't let the dreary day bother them. They were temporarily out of their cage known as Wet Dreams and were happy just to have each other and enough cash to pay for the food they were buying.

The dark mood of the conversation with Tora and Jitsu seemed to have lifted completely, for both were all smiles, especially when Misaki emerged from a cart selling fruit with two large cantaloupes raised to her chest.

"Do you like my melons?" she asked in an obvious parody of a sexy voice.

"Only if I can squeeze them," Kitsune laughed.

Tora shook her head.

"Honey, those are way too big for you. You'd fall on your face if you had hooters that big."

Sakura had to agree. If Misaki were that well endowed, she would be grossly disproportionate.

In the end they had passed up the melons, not having the budget for something that expensive and had settled on various green veggies, a few carrots and peppers, a large daikon radish, a few fruits including bananas at Kitsune's request, some oatmeal, instant noodles, a whole lot of tofu since it was cheap, a package of chicken breast and as a treat, one box of a dozen pastries. Everyone would get two.

The excursion had taken them nearly two hours, considering the market consisted of several streets full of stalls, all with different wares and all open to haggling. They could have shopped at the large indoor market, but prices were set there and things would undoubtedly be more expensive. Besides, shopping like this was much more fun in Sakura's opinion.

"All that shopping made me hungry," Misaki announced, slinging a bag of groceries over her shoulder.

"Well, just don't go eating all the food in one day," Miyabi cautioned, sounding as sensible as always.

They began to walk back to the club, a motley crew of giggling women, all dressed like ragamuffins, but even so, half the men they passed looked over their shoulders for another glance.

They passed the street on which Kakashi's motel was on, though it was a few blocks down, and Sakura was reminded once again of the nice gesture he had done for her yesterday, although the lingering soreness in her body had been a constant reminder all day. She had the list of last night's men receiving services in her pocket since she had had the hindsight to pop into Dajaku's office before they left and pick it up. Suddenly, she longed for his company and found herself wanting to see him, but she couldn't wander off with the other girls around.

"Oh, shoot," Sakura said suddenly, stopping in her tracks and pretending to feel around her pockets. "I think I left my wallet back with the pastry vendor."

"Oh, we'll go with you to get it then, honey," Tora offered.

"No, no. It's fine. I'll just run real quick to get it. You guys wait here."

"But we're not supposed to go off alone. The kidnapper could still be around," Misaki said and the other girls nodded in unison.

"Don't worry. There are too many witnesses around for anything to happen," Sakura replied. Indeed, it was a busy day in the marketplace and it seemed unlikely a criminal would risk an abduction with so many people out and about.

"Well, ok, but be careful," Tora finally relented.

Sakura smiled reassuringly and darted off into the crowd. In actuality, she didn't even have a wallet, but stuffed her money into her bra or the front pocket of her pants, but they didn't need to know that. She weaved through the crowd until she found an alley with a large dumpster to hide behind. Perfect.

Once she was out of sight of anyone who might walk by, she made the hand signs for a clone and a replica of herself poofed into existence.

"Making a house call?" her clone smiled, already knowing her intentions.

"Just go be me for a few hours," Sakura said, shooing her away.

The duplicate shrugged and took off, jogging back to the place where the girls were waiting for her.

The original Sakura let several minutes pass before she emerged from the ally and took an alternative route to Kakashi's motel. She was about half a block away when the cell phone in her pocket vibrated silently.

Take list out with trash. I will be there in an hour.

Lately Sakura had taken to taping the list to the underside of the trash bag. Juu wasn't exactly sharp-witted enough to notice and it saved Kakashi from spending time dumpster diving, although the mental image was rather amusing.

She typed back a new message, although it took her a while. She still hadn't gotten he hang of texting.

Not necessary. I'm at your door.

By now she had reached the safety gate that could only be opened with a key, although she doubted the rusted iron would be enough to stop anyone who seriously wanted inside.

A moment later, Kakashi was on the other side dressed in drawstring sweats and his usual blank tank. Even with the attached mask in place, she could tell he was looking at her questioningly.

"I was in the neighborhood," she said, as if that explained everything.

"You're lucky I was home," he responded, holding the gate open for her and letting her walk past him.

She waited for him to close the gate before following him to his room, registering the fact that to an outside observer, the fact she was coming to his place of residence in the middle of the day looked very sketchy for all the wrong reasons, especially since she was a supposed stripper and prostitute. However, she had never once seen another soul out in the halls of Kakashi's building, and the people on the streets had learned to turn a blind eye to questionable activity. What would be considered scandal in Konoha was everyday life in Fuzen Machi.

The dark hallway gave way to an equally dark interior when she entered the room. The blinds were still closed, shutting out the daylight, but there was just enough light seeping through the cracked bathroom door to show that the bed was a rumpled mess and that a damp towel hung over his chair.

"I had just gotten out of the shower when you called," Kakashi explained, flipping on the nearest light rather than opening a window.

"You're getting an awfully late start on the day, Sensei," Sakura remarked, slumping into the room's single chair while Kakashi moved to pull his bed into some sort of order. "Late night?"

"Since I was out with you all day there were several things I had to take care of after the club closed. I didn't get back until it was already light."

Sakura could see that his movements were unusually stiff and awkward, no doubt caused by the same extreme soreness she had experienced upon waking. His silvery hair was still shower-damp and hung in his face more than usual. He had foregone his eye patch or headband of any kind and both eyes were visible, although that didn't help her read his thoughts any better.

"What sort of things?" Sakura pressed, wanting to know how the investigation was going on Kakashi's end since she was coming up with squat.

"Just checked out some of the local whorehouses and other strip clubs and did some asking around. I wanted to see if they've been having any problem with girls going missing or new ones turning up, but nothing was out of the ordinary."

"Another dead end then," Sakura sighed, slouching in her chair. Every passing day seemed to make her feel even more hopeless about the outcome of this mission.

"So, why did you show up on my doorstep today?" he asked, finishing making his bed before sitting on the foot of it to face her. "Did you miss me that much?"

Sakura rolled her eyes as she pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pocket.

"Here's the list," she said, tossing it to him. "For all the good it will do you."

"You never know," he replied, scanning the names on the paper before refolding it and stowing it in his pants pocket.

She watched him a moment, a slight smile on her lips.

"You know, you don't have to wear that mask around me anymore. Your secret is out."

Kakashi chuckled, but made no move to pull the fabric down from his face.

Her chair was close enough to the foot of the bed that she could lean forward and touch him and she tried, reaching out for the mask so she could yank it down but Kakashi leaned back elusively and waggled a finger at her.

"Now, now, Sakura-chan, just because you've seen it once doesn't mean you can have the privilege anytime you want."

Mentally, the kunoichi was contemplating if seeing it twice did, but asking the question would mean fessing up to her devious actions and she wasn't ready to do that yet.

She pouted when it was clear he wasn't going to grace her with a peek under the mask and sighed, she should have known it wasn't going to be that easy. Time to switch tactics.

"Well, you're going to have to take it off if I give you a massage," she smiled sweetly.

Her statement made the Copy Nin pause. He was eyeing her critically but his voice held warmth when he spoke.

"When did a massage become part of this scenario?"

"Since I saw how stiffly you were moving. That's not like you, Kakashi-sensei. Admit it; you're incredibly sore, and you know how great my massages are."

Kakashi did know. He had been in the hospital enough times to have the privilege of Sakura as his nurse, and sometimes, if he behaved himself or was in great amounts of pain due to tightened muscles, she would give him massages; wonderful, soothing, miracle massages. He could sure go for one of those right about now.

He cocked his head slightly and stared at her, and Sakura could almost see the wheels in his head turning as he considered his options. A smirk threatened to tug at her lips. Kakashi wanted that massage bad, it was only a matter of how badly.

"You drive a hard bargain, Sakura, but you win,"

His hands went to the hem of his shirt, crossing to grab the edge of the black material, and in one slow, fluid motion, he peeled the garment off and over his head, revealing his bare torso.

Sakura drank in his form greedily, eyes fixing on his face and then sweeping over pale skin with paler scars marking his entire torso. His body was sleek, slender, not built and bulky but wiry. Even so, she knew how much raw power resided in those toned muscles and she had seen what he could do with it, but that power would remain dormant as long as he was with her.

"You've become quite a manipulative woman," he chuckled, leaning back on his elbows on the bed.

His eyes showed amusement as he looked at her, his lips quirked in a smirk. He looked so inviting, welcoming. For a breathless moment she considered jumping on his half naked form. The way he was reclined and smiling at her made her breath catch. It was like a scene from one of Kitsune's erotica; the man extending an invitation of unimaginable pleasure which the woman could never resist. She wondered what it would be like to straddle him suddenly and capture his lips in a heated kiss and pour out all her lust and passion for him in the dueling of their tongues. How would he react? Would he push her off in disgust or roll her over and pin her down so he could take control?

Kakashi could see something in her eyes, something more predatory than what he would have expected. He knew she thought he was handsome, which was a flattery he was trying not to let go to his head, but the way her eyes scanned his bare torso was surprising. Was she checking him out? Was she looking at him with something akin to desire burning in her eyes?

A small shiver of excitement passed through him at the possibility while his brain began setting off alarm bells, warning that if that was the case, his previous lusting problem would get a whole lot more complicated.

"All your staring is going to make me blush, Sakura," he said, trying to lighten the mood and break up the tension around them that he was both wishing and fearing was of the sexual kind.

Whatever trance the sight of him had put her in was broken and her eyes refocused on his face.

"If you want me to massage your legs too you're going to have to lose the pants."

The words were out of her mouth before she even realized she said it. Perhaps her subconscious was on a mission to undress him fully. Apparently Kakashi was thinking the same thing, for he looked at her strangely, smile gone from his lips.

"Are you trying to get me naked, Sakura?"

Her heart thumped a little quicker in her chest. She could tell him the truth and say yes, she very much wanted him naked, or she could lie and hope he didn't call it.

"Don't be perverted," she said, feigning exasperation as she tossed him the towel that had been hanging over the back of his chair. "You can leave your underwear on and cover up more with this if you want, or you can just have me massage your back and upper body. Your choice."

Kakashi looked at her a moment more as if trying to figure out if she was sincere or if she had an ulterior motive. He was an extremely smart man and she doubted he bought her fib completely, but in the end, his hand went to the waistband of his pants. When she remained looking at him he chuckled.

"Planning to watch?"

His amused words made heat rise to her cheeks and she spun around, facing the bathroom door as she heard the rustle of cloth being shed and the squeak of bed springs as his weight shifted on the mattress. Before her brain could go completely haywire and imagine her naked teacher, his raspy voice announced he was ready.

He was face down on the bed, forehead resting on his crossed forearms. His pants were neatly folded at his side and the towel was draped over his rear, covering from the small of his back to mid thigh. Somehow she had never imagined she would see her teacher in such a position, but that could be said for a lot of things that had happened during this mission.

Kakashi felt the mattress dip as she climbed onto the bed and soon her weight settled on him as she straddled his hips. He could feel the warmth of her thighs through the pants she wore and he realized that he had opened the door for temptation and foolishly let it in. He had wanted one of Sakura's massages that he remembered to be so medicinally soothing, but that was before she had made the transformation in his mind from former student and dangerous kunoichi to dangerous kunoichi and sexy woman extraordinaire. This would not be a massage. This would be a torture session in which he fought his own arousal and he realized too late that he was a blundering idiot.

Her hands came to rest on his bare back, pressing against the bumps and gouges of old scars as she assessed the muscle underneath. He was rock hard, but the irregular knots in the muscle fibers told her that it wasn't because the muscles were strong and developed, though they most certainly were, but because they were full of tension.

Immediately, she set to work, letting her chakra penetrate tired muscles and drain away residual lactic acid like she had for herself earlier that morning. He was warm and firm beneath her fingertips and she liked the feel of him. As her hands began to gently knead knotted muscle, her mind drifted back to their almost-kiss yesterday. What did that mean?

Had she imagined it all or had Kakashi been feeling the same magnetic pull she had been feeling? It was stupid to hope that he thought about her as often as she did him, crushing on Sasuke for years had taught her that much, but she secretly hoped that perhaps it was a sign that he had been lying when he said he found her to be just another attractive woman. Maybe, just maybe, she was just a little bit special?

Her hands traveled up and down his back, kneading with increasing firmness. When she felt most of the tension was gone, she began to pinpoint stubborn knots, infusing them with chakra to prevent pain and relax the muscle fibers before using her thumbs to press into the tissue until the knot dissolved.

Kakashi sighed as he felt his body relax beneath her skilled fingers. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. The warm tingle of her chakra creeping down the base of his neck as she worked on the muscles at the base of his skull was inducing more drowsiness than arousal. She was making him feel good, but in a medicinal way, a harmless way. He allowed his guard to drop as she leeched the soreness from his body, working over his back, neck and arms before turning around to straddle him the other way as she began to work on his feet. It had been ages since anyone had touched his feet and the way her fingers dug into the ball of his foot and pad of his heel was pure bliss. He could almost feel himself melting into the sheets, not a sensation he was accustomed to.

His soft sigh of relaxation made Sakura smile. She doubted Kakashi ever let himself become this relaxed around anyone, especially without his mask. It was a sign of deep trust and Sakura valued it, for it marked a bond between them that he didn't have with many other people, if any.

Finished with his feet, she worked on his legs, remembering how sore hers had been that morning and repeated the process she had executed on his back on his calves and thighs, edging the towel up an inch or two to make sure the majority of his legs received treatment. But the time she had finished, Kakashi was breathing deeply and evenly, so much in fact that she wondered if he had fallen asleep.

"Kakashi," she murmured, rolling off of him to stretch out at his side, reaching up to ruffle his silvery head of hair like he had always done to her when she was younger.

"That was great," came his muffled reply, his face still buried in his forearms. "Thank you."

He had managed to make it through without having too many overwhelming urges to roll over and show Sakura exactly how much he wanted her. Her intent had been to heal, not seduce, and he was thankful for it. He was no novice when it came to women, having had many of them attempt to seduce him on various missions, and he had learned how to turn the tables and either fend them off or make sure it was them being seduced instead, but he didn't think he could defend himself around Sakura if she decided to turn on the charm. She was different than other women. They had a history, a prior relationship that didn't involve being lovers, and that was why it was more important than ever that he keep his hands off of her. He had nearly failed yesterday at the lake and it was becoming more and more apparent that denying himself her touch would be no easy matter, but today he had won another round.

And then Kakashi did something uncharacteristically stupid. He set himself up to fail when he could have walked away clean.

He sat up and stretched languidly, marveling at how all his aches and pains were gone thanks to her magic touch. Sakura continued to lay on his bed, snuggling against the coverlet as if she belonged there. His towel was still draped across his lap but it didn't matter much since she had rolled away from him. Instead of getting dressed and leaving it at that, he leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"I can't give you your massage if you don't take off your clothes."

He saw her body tense momentarily, clearly shocked at his offer, and he chuckled.

"Don't look so surprised. You're always the one giving out the massages and I doubt you ever get them back. Mine may not be chakra enhanced or administered with medical precision, but I'm pretty sure I can make you feel good."

The words were out of his mouth before he could think of a better way to voice his thoughts. The phrase was practically dripping innuendo, hanging between them to create a thick, unseen tension.

After a moment of increasingly awkward silence, Sakura spoke.

"This isn't like you, Kakashi-sensei. You're more likely to give me the sore muscles, rather than heal them."

"There's a first time for everything I suppose," Kakashi said, while his mind screamed at him that it was indeed unusual for him to be this big of an idiot by inviting her to strip and then trust himself to touch her body in a way that was solely platonic.

Sakura turned to look at him, but he placed a gentle hand on her head to stop her and keep her staring at the wall.

"No peeking. I'll put my clothes back on, and you get rid of yours."

Sakura nodded and Kakashi stood, pulling on his pants and black tank and sliding the mask back up over his nose. His mind was setting off alarm bells left and right, big flashing lights and sirens that told him this was a very bad idea, but it was too late to retract his offer, considering he could hear the whisper of clothing being shed behind him. He wasn't sure if he was really this stupid and reckless or just didn't care anymore. Her body had been calling to him like a siren and now he had the chance to touch it, although it could very well be his downfall.

Sakura softly murmured that she was ready, in a voice that was unusually timid. Was she as unsure about this as he was? And if so, was it for the same reasons as his own doubts? Did she not want to be touched by him or did she want it too much? He brushed away the second option, refusing to dwell on it because nothing good would come of imagining her craving his hands on her body.

He turned around and sucked in his breath at the sight. She was all creamy skin, smooth and pale, face down on the bed like he had been with the towel draped over her butt and thighs. He tried not to notice just how much thigh was exposed, because the damp terrycloth covered probably only a couple of inches lower than where her rear met her legs. If she wasn't tempting him on purpose, then he was just one unlucky man.

With equal parts eagerness and trepidation, he sunk to the bed and crept near her naked form, slinging a thigh over her hips so he was straddling her like she had him. He now had incentive to keep from getting too excited, because if he did, she would feel it considering nothing was separating their bodies but his pants and her towel.

He licked suddenly dry lips as he placed both hands on her back, her petite form making them look large and masculine in contrast. Gently, he began to press calloused fingers into her supple skin. He only felt a few knots, her back being nothing like the solid mass of tension that his was, but that didn't mean the massage was going to be any shorter. Her skin was like silk beneath his fingertips and he adored the feeling, taking his time to work over every inch of her back thoroughly and honing in on spots he knew felt especially pleasurable when massaged.

Sakura's heart started to hammer in her chest when she felt his weight descend over her hips, so loud that she wondered if he might hear it. The second his hands came in contact with her bare skin, a sharp thrill raced through her, like a chill or a shiver, only far more delicious.

She said nothing as he worked, for she was afraid her voice would come out in a squeak or even a soft moan, because the way his skilled fingers found all her pressure points was making her melt into the bedspread. Every time his hands brushed over her a new wave of pleasurable chills ran up her spine, usually followed by harder contact as he kneaded her muscles in the most wonderful way. He focused on her shoulders and the corded muscle along her spine, but when he began to work over her neck, she thought she had died and gone to heaven. His thumb pressed into her just right, melting away stress and forcing her to relax. The agitation she felt of having him straddling her naked body and touching her ebbed away as his fingers rubbed little circles at the base of her spine and even combed through the stray hairs at her nape, sending tingles through her scalp that made her eyelids grow heavy. She was breathing deeper now as he moved lower down on her back, feeling so warm and cozy and fuzzy that she nearly forgot she was naked save for a towel and pinned beneath her ex-sensei, that is, until she felt the distinct puff of warm breath ghost over her shoulder as his hands moved to massage the muscles just above the flare of her hips.

He dug deep into the expansive muscles, using just the right amount of pressure to break up any lingering knots, but as his fingers moved closer to the edge of the towel, Sakura felt a warm flutter in her stomach. His breath on her bare skin was somehow incredibly sensual and she could imagine soft kisses intermingled with the warm air on back.

He could smell the scent of her skin, an intoxicating mix of flowers and an unnamed sweetness. With every breath he breathed her in, and with every exhale, a little more of his self restraint was dissolved. Her body was wordlessly beckoning him and he was half tempted to tug down his mask and press lingering kisses to her neck and shoulders. Things were becoming increasingly dangerous and the danger only made him want more, want to taste the forbidden fruit before him with renewed desire.

His hands were massaging so low on her back that his fingers sometimes brushed the gentle curve that swelled to form her wonderfully toned ass. The towel had somehow dipped low enough that he could see the beginnings of the cleft that parted her back into two smooth cheeks and he longed to do away with the cloth altogether and knead the flesh that it covered just like he had her entire back.

When he had finished massaging everything above the towel, he let a single finger trace her spine, and watched in satisfaction as goose bumps rose on her petal soft skin. She was quite sensitive to his touch and a dark part of him wanted to find out just how sensitive, although the remnants of his sanity were arguing against it fervently.

His weight lifted from her as he scooted all the way down to her feet, sitting now at the end of the bed. He lifted one foot which was only slightly bigger than the hands that held them and pressed a thumb into her arch.

Sakura let out a soft coo of approval as his hands worked over her foot, rubbing her heel and the ball and even in between her toes. He had been told his foot massage skills were superior by the few people lucky enough to receive one and apparently Sakura agreed. She turned her head to the side just enough to unmuffle a soft moan of, "Kakashi, that's so good."

The Copy Nin's stomach clenched at the sound of her breathy and sensual voice, and imagined her telling him the same thing as he touched her in other places. He repeated the process on her other foot, earning similar sounds of pleasure, and began to work his way up the backs of her legs, thoroughly massaging her muscular calves and committing the feel of her slender legs to memory.

The restless heat that has dissipated when he worked on her feet began to stir again as he moved up her legs, fingers rubbing over bare thigh in a way that both soothed and made her shiver in anticipation of something more. His touches seemed methodical and confident as they pressed and squeezed her muscled thighs right up to the edge of the towel, and though the act made her nervous, a part of her silently urged him to travel higher.

The tightness in Kakashi's gut had crept into his loins, threatening to manifest physical changes over his body if he relinquished control. The creamy skin of her thighs felt so good against his calloused hands and the towel had ridden up a little higher, allowing more access to her unclothed body.

He could hear her breath coming a little harsher now, and knew she was affected by his touches. However, she hadn't uttered a word of disapproval and had made no move to stop him, and he wondered if it was a silent invitation.

His fingers stopped massaging and instead slid slowly up and down her thighs, the movement slower and more sensual. Every slide of his hands brought him a little closer inward until his hands were rubbing along her inner thighs, fingertips brushing dangerously high under the towel.

Sakura's heart was hammering, her blood rushing in her ears. The heat in her stomach had seeped into the place between her thighs that Kakashi came closer and closer to touching. Was he trying to seduce her? It was pretty obvious this wasn't just a massage anymore, although she couldn't bring herself to be mad at him for it, not when every brush of his fingers sent sparks down her spine and made her body feel hot and achy.

If she asked him to stop, she was sure he would comply, but deep down, she was curious to see just how far he would go, and this sort of attention from him made her feel desired in a way the rough and grabby met at the club did not. The way he was touching her was clearly for her pleasure and not for his, and it sent warm flutters to her chest as well as in between her thighs.

She was practically panting now, and still not a word to him, good or bad. With new courage, Kakashi let his hands slide high, disappearing under the towel completely to trace the creases where her legs met her torso, and then a little further in to run over the soft flesh of her outer lips. To his surprise, the skin was already damp.

Sakura sucked in her breath sharply as his fingers ghosted around her nearly hairless sex. Thanks to her job at the club, she had taken to shaving everything except for one trim patch. The men she "slept" with seemed to like it when she was clean shaven and apparently Kakashi did too, for his fingers continued to slide over her hairless lips, rubbing up and down teasingly. A steady throb started between her legs and she was tempted to tell him to hurry up and do whatever it was he was going to do, but that would break the spell between them, and she didn't want this to be over, but when his thumbs spread her apart ever so gently, letting her moisture seep out to coat her outer lips, she couldn't help a soft moan.

That little sound, that sweet sound of pleasure that he had imagined for so long, did him in.

He felt his left hand leave her body, and rested his forearm on the bed to take his weight as he lowered himself onto her. With both hands occupied, he couldn't remove his mask but he pressed a soft kiss to her skin anyways, his masked lips touching her between the shoulder blades.

His fingers hand grown bold, spurred on by her ragged breathing, he let a single digit trace her slit, bottom to top, his nail grazing her clit as it passed and making her body tremble beneath him.

"K-Kakashi?" she whimpered into the sheets, hips shifting slightly as he repeated the gesture.

"Shh," he hushed against her neck softly before pressing another masked kiss to her nape. If she was about to stop him, he didn't want to hear it because he had come too far now. He had to hear her moan for him, uninhibited and passionate. He had to feel her slickness against his fingers as he explored her most intimate place.

His finger came back to the place that had proved most sensitive, and he let his calloused fingertip brush the swollen bud softly.

Her body jolted as if a current had passed through it and she cried out softly in to the sheets. He let his digit dance around her pearl teasingly, stroking and rubbing everywhere but where he knew she needed it, her sex becoming hotter and wetter all the while.

She was shuddering under him now, her breathing irregular and broken and she finally turned her head to the side, gracing him with a view of her profile. She was biting her lip against the sensations while she squeezed her eyes shut and Kakashi found the look to be so sexy that he twitched inside his pants, having lost the fight against his own body the second he dipped his fingers in her wetness.

"Sakura," he breathed huskily, letting his finger flick over her clit softly and feeling his ego swell as she moaned low in the back of her throat. "Do you like what I'm doing?"

Her eye cracked open, a hazy slit of emerald beneath dark lashes.

"Yes," she whispered, so soft that he wasn't sure he had heard it.

"What was that?" he rasped, lips brushing over the shell of her ear as his finger glided over her sensitive button once more.

"Y-yes," she panted, shuddering as he played with her pearl.

He let his masked lips press to her neck, her shoulders, her cheek as his skilled fingers administered a sort of micro massage that left her moaning and trembling deliciously, rubbing and pressing and pinching her clit with varying degrees of pressure and speed. Her scent of arousal had enveloped him, heady and thick and so tantalizing that his mouth watered to taste her. He was throbbing in his pants, painfully hard and hot, his heart pounding in time to the pulse he felt in her clit. She was squirming beneath him now, not violently, but enough to make him press his body further onto hers to keep her still.

She wanted him, that much was clear, and if he rolled her over while unzipping his pants and thrust inside her in one quick stroke, he doubted she would stop him. But even through the lusty haze that blotted out all reason, he was still painfully aware that she was a virgin, one who hadn't even had an orgasm, at least not before she had left for this mission, and he was determined to make sure she was quite well acquainted with the sensation of coming for a man before he ever joined their bodies as one.

"Sakura," he whispered again, lips tracing her jaw as his fingers abandoned her pulsating clit to trace her quivering entrance. "You're so wet, so hot. Do you want me inside?"

His ambiguous question was hard to focus on. Did he want what inside her? His fingers? His tongue? His manhood? Sakura realized that she didn't really care what part he was referring to. He had teased her mercilessly, dancing around her greatest need until she felt so empty that she would do anything to be filled and she wanted relief now.

"Yes," she whimpered, her green gaze meeting his as his nose nuzzled her cheek.

He didn't nod or utter a word saying he hard heard her, but the depths of his mismatched eyes seemed to grow a little less lucid before he brought his face so close that it was out of focus. She stiffened momentarily as he pressed masked lips to the corner of her mouth. She would have turned her head to meet him but laying face down didn't give her much room to maneuver. It all become inconsequential anyway when his middle finger finally stopped fluttering around her opening and dipped inside gently, sinking in slowly to the first knuckle.

Her body shuddered violently as she cried out, eyes closing in rapture as Kakashi groaned against her cheek. She was so wet, so damn tight, and absolutely blazing inside like she burned with liquid fire.

He withdrew and pushed in again, this time all the way to the third knuckle, encasing his entire finger in paradise, and groaned again as he felt her clench around him as she whispered his name in broken gasps.

Sakura would have arched into him if it were possible, but the way he was on top of her, sliding into her from behind, forced her to lay still. Every nerve was on fire and she was fisting her hands in the sheets in a white knuckled grip. So this is what she had been denied back when she had danced for Kakashi in the booth. Scenes in Kitsune's books had described this process, but it was only a precursory activity, foreplay to warm up the woman for the main event. The way her head was spinning and her body practically singing, Sakura wondered if anything could possibly feel any better than this.

And then Kakashi curled his finger inside her, massaging her now from the inside, and a blazing wave of raw pleasure passed through her, momentarily blotting out everything else except the feel of him inside her, and when it began to ebb away, her thoughts returned in a jumble, images of the girls back at the club and conversations she hadn't remembered having, of lunch and congratulations on her new position as starlet. Her normally quick mind was clouded and slow, a fact not helped by the feel of Kakashi's finger flexing inside her again but she soon pieced the info together and when she had the answer, she let out a panicked curse.

"Shit! My clone!"

The Copy Nin stilled his finger inside her, lifting his lips from her back. "Your what?"

"My clone, the one that was back at the club so nobody would know I was missing. I lost my hold on it and she disappeared. I have to get back. I have to go now!"

She frantically wriggled out from under the man on top of her, his finger slipping free of her sex as she did so, and proceeded to get dressed so fast that Kakashi didn't even get a glimpse of the place he had just been touching.

The surge of memories into her head meant her clone had ceased to be and all the information it had acquired was sent back to her. Fortunately, it seemed her clone had been alone I her room at the time of its disappearance.

"I…um…I'll see you tonight," she said awkwardly, stuffing her cellphone in her pocket before fleeing out the door, leaving Kakashi alone in the room.

Lust had dulled his senses and he was only now piecing together what had happened. He was never this slow, even mid-coitus and he wondered what the hell kind of spell she had managed to cast on him. Now she was gone, so abruptly that her essence still covered the finger that had been deep inside her only a minute ago and he was sporting a hard on that no cold shower, no matter how long, would rectify.

With a tortured exhale of breath, he flopped onto the bed, the sheets warm from where she had been and her musky scent of arousal still sharp in his nostrils. With no other method available to him, he tugged his sweat pants down until his erection sprang free and wrapped his right hand around it, smearing the slick residue of his encounter with Sakura over his length.

He was a sick fuck, that was all there was to it. He could say he was trying to be nice, that he had only wanted to alleviate the soreness in her muscles with a harmless massage, but deep down, he knew the truth. He hoped for this from the beginning, and he had taken advantage of the woman he had been trying to distance himself from for this very reason. He had violated her, sliding inside her where, at least to his knowledge, no one else had been, and he hadn't even kissed her, but taken her from behind like it was some goddamned booty call. She deserved better than that. She deserved to be wooed and romanced because she sure as hell wasn't getting any of that from the men she was seducing and he had acted just like one of them.

He groaned, this time in self loathing as his hand began to pump his length hard and fast. Her fluids felt amazing on his cock and he allowed himself to imagine he was inside her, in that warm, wet place that had squeezed his finger so wonderfully. He was sick, sick and sad and perverted but he couldn't banish the thought of thrusting into her, of hearing her moan and feeling her clamp down on him. Her face would be contorted in pleasure, those eyes hazy and unable to focus, just like they had been a moment ago, and he would kiss her, so fiercely and deeply that he wouldn't be able to tell where he stopped and she began.

His hips bucked as his orgasm came, swift and hard, his seed spurting into his hand. But as the stars cleared his vision, he found he was feeling even more unfulfilled and now, like a letch, so dirty and lowdown that he felt he needed to shower in an attempt to rinse away the dirt, not on his body, but on his soul.

"You pathetic old man," he said into the silence, tucking his softened length back into his pants and rose to go to the bathroom to wash his hands.

He had no idea what he was going to say to her the next time they met, but he needed think of something soon. Nightfall would come and with it, another topless performance, but this time, Kakashi didn't want to look at her, didn't want to be reminded of the beautiful body he just couldn't seem to keep his hands off of.

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Sakura ran at breakneck speed back to the club, oblivious to the heads that turned as she passed. She made it back in record time and had to tell herself to calm down as she pressed her hand to the club's front door to let her chakra unlock the lock from the inside.

Now that she had sobered and the lust had faded away, she realized just what she had done with her ex-teacher. When she had gone to visit him today she had not expected it to end with her naked on her stomach with him fingering her from behind. She was still wet, she could feel it, and the memory of what he had made her feel made her woozy all over again.

She slipped inside and scurried up the stairs. Dajaku didn't seem to be in his office and she didn't see anyone else as she made her way to the top of the stairs, letting her chakra unlock that lock as well.

Miyabi sat on the couch with Tora and Jitsu, the busty brunette and petite woman talking softly while Miyabi seemed engrossed in a book. Misaki was on the floor doing a crossword and Kitsune seemed to be helping her. They all looked up when Sakura entered.

"Hey, I thought you were in your room," Tora said, her eyebrow lifting questioningly. "You said you were tired and were going to go lie down."

"I was but I had to ask Dajaku something, but he wasn't in his office," Sakura lied trying to act naturally so they wouldn't be suspicious.

"Well yeah, he told us earlier he was going out for a while and you were in the room when he said it," Misaki said, tilting her head and looking at her strangely.

"Really? I must have forgotten. Silly me," Sakura laughed nervously, edging past the girls to the hall, hoping to quickly escape their scrutiny.

"That's funny," Tora said thoughtfully. "None of us saw you come by,"

"Yeah, weird huh? I guess you guys were just really into what you were doing."

Misaki and Kitsune exchanged glances on the ground and three on the couch looked similarly unconvinced.

"Hana, are you all right?" Miyabi asked, blue eyes searching hers piercingly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Sakura said airily, knowing that it sounded like a lie, even to her own ears. "I'm going to shower now. Bye!"

She scampered away before they could question her further, finding refuge in the bathroom as she locked the door behind her and cranked on the hot water.

Alone at last, she let her mind evaluate what had just happened and despite the fact that Kakashi had clearly seduced her, she couldn't guess what his true thoughts were any better than she had before. Did he like her? Was she just a toy? Did he do what he did as some sort of weird follow-up lesson in pleasure? Sakura didn't think so, but she did know she had enjoyed it a lot, regardless of what it meant. She considered herself strong and capable but he had reduced her to a pile of moaning mush, even after all her work at the club and she didn't trust herself to crumble like that around anyone but him.

She sort of liked the feeling of giving in, of submitting, of letting herself be taken and forced to feel pleasure so exquisite that she couldn't even process it, but only with Kakashi. She would never drop her guard like that around anyone else. Then again, she longed to push him down and make sure he was the one moaning and writhing. Kakashi was a powerful man and incapacitating him via seduction was awfully alluring. She was pretty sure the cheap tricks she used on her targets wouldn't work on him. After all, he had taught her everything she knew, but some of Kitsune's books gave her insight into how to make a man moan.

The thought made the heat inside her began to pulse again, but not painfully overwhelming like it had been with Kakashi. She was tempted to slip a hand between her legs and see if she could recreate what Kakashi had started, but she knew her own touches would never come close. She had never reached an orgasm by masturbating since she was always interrupted or she stopped before someone discovered her. Five other housemates made privacy nearly nonexistent, seven if she counted Tsurenai and Dajaku. But her recent encounter with Kakashi had brought her closer to orgasm than she had ever been and she lamented the fact that she couldn't hold on to her clone long enough for him to send her over the edge, which she had no doubt he would have done.

Today had taught her something. While she wasn't sure what the heck was going on with Kakashi and why sometimes he was kind, sometimes he was all over her, and sometimes he avoided her like the plague, she was sure that when she did have her first orgasm, she wanted it to be with him. Even if it happened in an impromptu afternoon of seduction, she didn't care. Seeing the lives of the women around her made her realize sex and love weren't usually connected and she shouldn't hope for a fairytale like she had when she was a little girl.

Kakashi was skilled, and would take her pleasure into account, which was more than she could hope for with other men. Next time they were alone at his place, she hoped she could convince him to continue, and this time, not stop.

The fact that she was entertaining such thoughts was surprising, but she didn't consider them so taboo anymore. They were miles from Konoha, and on this mission they were more like partners than a teacher and student. Surely it wouldn't be so surprising if something like this happened, right?

Sakura tilted her face upward to embrace the shower's warm spray.

She realized that in the tangle of events in Kakashi's room, and her haste to leave, she had forgotten to tell him she would be taking Tsurenai's place tonight.

A smile formed on her lips as she reached for her shampoo.

Well, he was just going to have to find out the hard way.

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Oh the suspense! I know this chapter wasn't as light and fluffy and fun as the last one but they can't all be like that, right? I hope you enjoyed it even if it was on the darker side. Stay tuned for more!

J-Pop Princess


	14. Chapter 14

Oh my gosh! I can't believe this story has gotten over 1000 reviews! I can't tell you how honored I am that you guys like this story enough to give me feedback with pertinent stuff to say. I really appreciate it everyone and I hope you will continue to enjoy this story and relay to me all your reactions to it.

This will probably be my last update before school starts but I'm really going to try to keep this story updated relatively consistently.

Many thanks to my lovely beta Cynchick who has been with me on this and most of my other stories since the beginning. She's the reason for the absence, or at least lesser amount, of typos in this story.

As always, I don't own Naruto and this story is very M rated.

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Stripped Bare-Chapter 14

Pounding music, flashing lights, the smell of sweat and alcohol. The whole club scene was getting a little monotonous in Kakashi's opinion and he was fairly certain that upon returning to Konoha, he wouldn't be spending much of his time inside any of the local bars any time soon. Genma was going to be disappointed to lose his wingman for a while, but his drinking buddy was smooth enough to score without Kakashi's help most of the time anyway.

The first group of dancers were nearly finished with their set, and he figured Sakura would be out at the start of the next song. He swirled the ice around in his glass and gazed into the amber liquid.

Sakura…just her name brought such an overwhelming jumble of emotions that he was tempted to shove it all away and not deal with any of it, but even if he attempted to shut it out, the guilt continued to gnaw at him like a tiny, ravenous creature. He had touched her in a way no teacher should touch his student, even after he swore to himself numerous times that he would never touch her again, but despite it all, it had gone way too far this time. He supposed he should be thankful Sakura interrupted him and ran off because who knew what foolish thing he would have done, and yet, the fact that she hadn't stopped him sooner made unwanted thoughts bubble in the back of his mind.

She had liked it, for no woman could fake those kind of moans, and he wasn't even sure if Sakura would know how to anyway, but that wasn't surprising considering her lack of experience. She had liked it because she didn't know any better, because she had never had anything else. If she had, she would have known she deserved better than to be felt up by her teacher who couldn't keep his hands to himself. And yet, the way she had moaned for him, whimpered his name, made him hope that she would seek him out for more, even though if she did, he had to somehow find the strength to turn her down. He would not touch her again. He couldn't.

He was in over his head with her and he couldn't understand why. No woman had pulled him in like this, not even the experienced ones with all their practiced charm, but maybe that was why he was drawn to his student. She was so wonderfully different, so naïve despite all the battles she had fought and blood she had shed. There had been wonderment in her voice, a sense of awe that only the most inexperienced women had during sex. He had been with enough of them to recognize it but never had he been so turned on by it, knowing that he was the first to touch them, and never had he hated himself more for it.

She was not his and never would be, and frankly, he was surprised he was thinking about staking a claim at all. Kakashi Hatake was not one to get tied down and never had been, but in all his mixed up emotions, jealousy was among them, burning a little brighter every time she stripped in front of all these strangers. He wanted to cover her and steal her away so the view of her body was his alone. He wasn't sure when he had started feeling this, because he had been refusing to examine all emotions regarding his student, afraid of what he might find, but now his jealousy had become too big to ignore and honestly, he was at a loss. Nothing he felt made sense anymore and when his usually sharp mind couldn't tackle it, he was inclined to sweep it all into the far recesses of his mind. It usually worked with other women, because he forgot about them easily and never saw them again. He wouldn't be so lucky with Sakura. There would be no escaping her, even when they returned home.

The music ended and a new beat started and with it, came the second set of dancers. Kakashi scanned the raised platforms for pink hair but found nothing but blonde, brunette and red.

Where was she? Had she decided to take the night off? Was she sick? Or had the reality of what she had done with him earlier that afternoon finally caught up with her? He wouldn't blame her for needing a night to herself. If their yellow eyed target did happen to show up, Kakashi could always back him into a corner and do some interrogating of his own, although his methods wouldn't be nearly as subtle or pleasurable as his partner's. He just found it odd that she hadn't even sent him a text before hand to let him know. He hadn't heard from her since she ran out of his room in a panic and he sincerely hoped she had made it back ok.

He was considering hunting down Dajaku and seeing if he knew anything, but if he wasn't in his office, finding him in the crowd wouldn't be easy. Kakashi tugged down his mask just low enough to drain the contents in his glass in one long swallow before pushing the fabric back in place and laying down his payment on the bar. He stood in preparation to hunt down the owner when the second set of songs came to an end and the flashing lights momentarily stopped, dimming the club's interior even further. A voice rang out from somewhere, although there was no clear source, and Kakashi instantly recognized it as Dajaku's.

"Good evening gentlemen," the voice said in a low octave that was probably meant to be mysterious. "You are all very lucky, for in a few moments, you will witness Wet Dreams' newest star, a delicate and exotic maiden whose only wish is to make all your fantasies come true."

His cheesy introduction would have been better suited to a carnival side show, but it still made Kakashi pause. No, he couldn't possibly mean…

"Please welcome to the stage in her debut as tonight's main attraction, our very own pink princess, Hana!"

A spot light illuminated the main platform, focusing in on the wings as one long leg deliberately emerged. The limb was shapely and well muscled, adorned in fishnet thigh highs that were a shocking shade of bubble gum. The stiletto on her foot had an impressive heel of at least five inches in a similar pink shade, but the garter on her thigh was black lace and drew attention to the few inches of alluring bare skin.

Kakashi's mouth went dry at the sight. He knew that leg. In fact, he had touched every inch of it only a few hours prior. Why the hell hadn't she told him about this?

All eyes were riveted to that leg as the rest emerged, and there she was, Sakura Haruno dressed head to toe in various shades of pink. The hot pink thong she wore looked more like some sort of synthetic leather than fabric, and matching the bra top she wore lifted her breasts in a way Kakashi hadn't thought possible, accentuating them and pushing them up so far that he thought they might spill out of the patent leather cups. Pink fabric looped through three silver rings spaced over her stomach, attaching the top to the bottom and three more from the point where the bra cups met to a black choker at her throat. The whole affect was a sort of dominatrix meets cotton candy princess look, but she made it look good, damned good, with her long pink hair pulled into twin pigtails high on her head, a style he had never seen her wear before.

She practically radiated sexuality as she took the stage, the spotlight following her every move. Music had started and she was walking to the beat, slowly, deliberately, sensually, the sway in her hips exaggerated as she placed one high heeled foot in front of the other, walking with all the grace and poise she had developed as a kunoichi and as a dancer.

Men that had been waiting at the stage expecting Tsurenai did not seem disappointed, but nearly drooled over the new star, whistling and staring at her with eyes practically bugging out of their heads. Sakura, who had been so shy her first day on stage, seemed to feed off it now, shooting sultry smiles at the men who were practically hypnotized.

She made her way to the center pole and faced it, back to the audience, legs spread in a wide stance as she gripped the pole with both hands. She began to move her hips in wide, slow circles, letting her back arch with the movement. Her ass was round and firm, bisected only by the pink strap of her thong that slid between her cheeks. Kakashi found himself transfixed, jut as captivated as the rest of the men in the room, but for a different reason. He had been watching her every night since she came to this club, and never had she looked more at home on the stage. If he hadn't known for a fact that she was a virgin, he never would have believed it, because right now, there was nothing virginal about her. Every movement of her body was for the sole sake of seduction, executed so flawlessly that it was almost as if she had been doing this for years. Although Kakashi was no stranger to the ways of seduction, he had a sneaking suspicion that if she ever pulled this act on him, Sakura just might get whatever she wanted, and the thought of falling prey so easily to a woman was unnerving, but the thought of falling prey to Sakura was a little more exciting.

She turned around, back to the pole now and feet together, her hands reaching up to hang onto the pole as she slid down, knees bending and spreading to the sides until she was completely opened up in a squat that showed off the little scrap of pink that was keeping her decent.

Already money was being offered but Sakura seemed unconcerned with it as she rocked her hips back and forth as she slid back up and turned around to lift herself onto the pole, climbing to the top to twist into effortless an erotic poses that showed off her barely clothed body from every angle. She spiraled down the pole, using centrifugal force to spin around and around like an ice skater, until one high heel touched the floor and she began the process all over again, working the crowd into a frenzy.

Kakashi's stomach knotted in a combination of anxiety and lust. She was a different person up there, oozing sex from every pore and he doubted anyone from Konoha who saw her now would even recognize her. To make things worse, he could see traces of the lusty creature she had been earlier, shivering for him on his bed, all wanton moans and slick heat. He ran his tongue over dry lips beneath his mask, trying to make sense of it all. Why the hell was she doing a solo act? He had no doubt that Dajaku was the mastermind behind it, but why had she accepted? Exchanging information now would be next to impossible thanks to all the attention she was getting, and having such a high profile position increased the chances that some wandering ninja just might recognize her as Konoha's medic prodigy.

And yet, there was no denying that the sight of her dancing before him under the glow of the spotlight was far more intoxicating than the alcohol he had just consumed. If Yellow hadn't wanted her before, he'd have to be crazy not to want her now.

The way she moved was certainly erotic and very sensual, but it didn't come off as trashy in Kakashi's opinion. Every time he watched Tsurenai, he was reminded of a hooker laying on the act a little too thick, like a woman faking orgasms with too much enthusiasm, not that the women he bedded ever had to fake, but her act lost some of its appeal when it came off too much like, well…an act.

Sakura on the other hand was sexy as hell, and it seemed she had no problem with spreading her thighs and giving the audience gratuitous panty shots, at least not anymore now that she had become more comfortable with her role as dancer, but she never touched herself, or tugged her panties to the side in an overly raunchy display. He thought that keeping the most tantalizing bits hidden by just a scrap of fabric was more alluring than showing them off blatantly.

Sakura was swiveling her hips again, only a few tips sticking out of her garter belt. She didn't go around and collect the rest of the money being offered in a silent rebellion against Dajaku. The less money she earned, the less he made and that was just fine with her. After all her tips from all the other nights, it wasn't like she really needed the money anyway.

Knowing the crowd would start to grow impatient soon, she reached behind her neck and unclasped the choker she was wearing, letting it fall from her body and dangle from the three silver rings attached to it. She ran her fingers over her stomach, subtly freeing the last ring from her thong thanks to the modern invention called Velcro. It really made stripping so easy. With out anything else attached to her bra top, she reached behind her and undid the clasp and then leaned forward, letting gravity pull the top off her arms until it thunked to the floor, taking all the metal rings with it.

Men applauded and cheered and offered fresh bills as she brought her hands up to her collar bone, elbows close to her sides in a gesture that pressed her naked breasts together to form ample cleavage while she gazed over the crowd with an innocent expression as if she didn't know what all the fuss was about.

Kakashi longed to feel those wonderful mounds himself, to feel the weight of them in his hands, to test their firmness with gentle squeezes. Almost as soon as the thought was formed he clamped down on it in a desperate attempt to squelsh it. Sakura may be a sexual creature, but he would never be able to find out just how sexual. His explorations today made him only want to find out more but he forbade himself to even contemplate it, knowing all the problems it would cause. It was just so damn hard when he had to watch when she was on stage like that. Fate was most certainly tempting him but he had to be strong and resist.

Sakura turned on one pink heel and faced the pole, going into a handstand and wrapping her legs around the cool metal and lifting her torso upwards until she was right side up, hanging onto the pole with her thighs. She earned more whistles as she grabbed on with her hands and stretched out one leg as she corkscrewed back to the floor.

The mask of a seductress was firmly in place but inside she was quivering with nervousness, her stomach tying itself into knots as she saw that tall, slender form watching her from the back of the room. The time had come for her to bare it all and she had no choice but to do it in front of him. She licked glossy lips in a nervous gesture that most of her audience probably perceived as sexy and walked with false confidence around her pole until it was between the crowd and herself. It wouldn't offer much cover, but she could at least pretend it was hiding her body from the sea of staring eyes, although there was only one eye in particular she really cared about.

She drew her legs together and made sure the pole hid her femininity, at least from Kakashi's viewpoint. Slowly, teasingly, agonizingly, she brought her hands to the waistband of her panties and began to edge them down over her hips.

Kakashi's eye widened as he saw her inching her underwear lower. Was she seriously going to shed all of her clothing up there? Kakashi didn't know if he could take it. After he had jerked off that afternoon, his orgasm tearing through him with unusual violence that only extreme pent up frustration caused, he had spent the rest of the day investigating the names on the list and trying his hardest not to think about Sakura at all. He had failed of course, but he had been able to convince himself that somewhere inside him was the will power to be alone with her for more than five minutes without pinning her up against the nearest wall and finishing what he had started. But if she was going to peel those panties off right in front of him, the image would be burned in his mind forever and it would be another point against him in this arduous battle of keeping his hormones under control.

He couldn't quite tell if she was teasing or really intent on taking them off. The pole covering her made it a little hard to see, but his imagination kicked into gear, working to fill in the blanks and nothing he could do would stop his mind from piecing together what her body that had felt so heavenly to the touch, really looked like.

Once her viewers figured out what she was going to do, they quieted a little, waiting in anticipation for all the goods to be revealed. More than once, Sakura hitched the pink material back up the few inches she had pushed it down, teasing her audience, but also stalling. She supposed this shouldn't be so hard. She walked around topless every night now, and the one man who she was most concerned about getting naked for had already touched her sacred place quite thoroughly, but her fingers trembled all the same as she slid her pink panties ever lower until they were over her hips and fell down her legs to the floor.

She held onto the pole in front of her and began to sway her hips back and forth, giving lingering glimpses of softly curving hips, but never the prize between them. Men whistled and waved their fisted bills more frantically, trying to entice her out from behind the pole, but she wasn't ready to leave her safe haven yet, not when she was naked save for her shoes and fishnets.

Kakashi's breath hitched as he saw pink material slide down her thighs and pool at her feet, although what the garment had been covering was still elusive, carefully hidden behind the slender pole. She was naked up on that stage, bared for all to see, and while he was transfixed by the sight of his naked ex-student, he was also gripped by a desire to shield her from everyone else. Countless eyes were gazing at her unclothed body, eyes that had no business seeing her this way, and he itched to steal her away where nobody could look at her but him.

Swallowing hard, Sakura carefully stepped out of her underwear, not wanting to hook them on her stiletto heels, and effortlessly hoisted herself onto the pole. She kept the metal clamped between her thighs and her knees tucked in close to her body, hiding her unclothed center from view.

She smiled seductively from her high post. She figured they were probably expecting her to open her legs wide at any moment and hang suspended from the pole, showing off every crevice of her vagina to anyone who cared to look. Unfortunately for them, she was not Tsurenai.

She slid down slowly, straightening out one leg and arching her back as she released one hand from the pole and stretched it over her head, spiraling down elegantly in a way that showed off pert breasts, but still hid her sex, that is, until she reached the bottom and had to stand on her own feet. There was no hiding it anymore.

While it wasn't at all the lewd show the normal star put on, her audience seemed to appreciate her naked body anyway, dissolving into a rowdy uproar when she stood and faced the crowd, legs still pressed together but unable to hide the apex of her thighs and the trim tuft of cotton candy colored hair right above her opening.

Kakashi's uncovered eye was probably bugging out of his head, but there wasn't much he could do to stop it. There she was, dressed only in sinfully sexy thigh highs and heels and pig tails of all hair styles. Even as he told himself to look away, he stared on like a hungry wolf looking at a sheep through a pane of glass. He wanted her, his mouth watered for her, but he knew he couldn't have her. As she swiveled her hips again, his eyes locked onto the place between her legs, trying to get a peak at what she was keeping so carefully hidden. His fingers had touched her there only hours earlier, rubbing the sweet little ball of flesh marking her entrance and had slipped between those smooth, hairless lips and penetrated her, feeling her flex around his digit in a way that only a woman could. But now that beautiful place was out in the open in front of every one and Kakashi had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from growling. Sure, he supposed it would come to this eventually. Strippers had to strip after all. He just didn't see why she didn't bother warning him sooner.

Sakura walked the perimeter of the stage, proud and tall, hips swaying with every step on her high heels. Countless hands smoothed over her calves and lower thighs, tucking money into her garter and copping a feel of her muscled legs as payment.

She tried to focus on her true objective, eyes skimming over the audience for the man that had turned her down before. The man that had wanted sex or nothing at all, but now the spotlight on her blinded her and all she could see past the first few rows of people were dark figures that constantly shifted and moved. She would have to leave finding him up to Kakashi, or hope that the target came to her.

Unfortunately, Kakashi's was not searching the crowd. He was unable to look anywhere but at her. She wasn't using the pole much anymore, perhaps afraid that she would reveal more than she wanted and instead had taken to walking the stage, her hands trailing her sides and her stomach. Once she even dropped to her knees and crawled and Kakashi was sure he had a caught a flash of the sweet pink flesh between her legs, although it was extremely brief. The way she was dancing was far sexier than anything Tsurenai ever did. She was a tease, getting naked but then showing nothing, or almost nothing. He was glad she wasn't spreading herself open for these strangers, but at the same time, watching her dance made him want to sling her over his shoulder and take her back to his room where he could open her up as wide as he wanted and explore her at his leisure with his fingers, tongue and cock.

A new song began, probably the last in her set before her solo show was over and she spent the rest of the night giving lap dances to her numerous new fans. The beat was slow and sensual and Sakura immediately fell in sync with the groove. She walked to the pole, her body in profile as she took it with both hands and began to undulate slowly. Her body moved in a slow ripple and every now and then she would roll her hips or toss her head. The position kept her covered where she needed it but still put on a show that she figured would satisfy Dajaku and all his customers. So close was she to the pole that sometimes her hairless lips would touch it, the cool metal sliding along her flushed skin. It felt good, and she supposed that if she were Tsurenai, she would shamelessly hump up against the pole right on stage. As it was, she tried to adjust her thighs so the contact didn't happen. She wasn't so bold as to do anything more than pretend to grind against the pole, not actually do it.

Even if it was just an act, Kakashi was still secretly thinking that the pole she was wrapped around was the luckiest damn pole in the world. He was captivated by the way her muscles flexed as she ground against the metal and imagined her muscles would work similarly if she were to sit naked in his lap and grind against him. Even from his stance in the back, he could see her nipples were hard and could see the wonderful expression on her face, eyes closed, lips parted, although her face was too relaxed to be in real pleasure. He had seen what she really looked like, face contorted beautifully as she panted irregularly.

So captivated was he that he didn't see Miyabi walk to the back of the club, her long fingers interwoven with a man's. He didn't see them enter one of the booths far to the right at the beginning of her set of songs or notice when they emerged towards the end, him walking out first, cool and collected, melting into the crowd as if nothing had happened, and Miyabi come out minutes later, looking extremely shaken and, for the lack of better words, like she had just received the fucking of a life time. She had lost her normally graceful gait, walking unsteadily on her heels and clinging to the doorframe a moment as if to catch her breath, breasts naked and her chocolate colored thong looking like she had just tugged it on haphazardly.

"Jeez girl, are you ok?" Kitsune asked, seeing her after emerging from giving a lapdance, her very satisfied customer grinning like an idiot as he walked away.

Miyabi nodded, brushing a long and slightly bedraggled piece of black hair out of her eyes.

"I'm fine. I just got more than I bargained for with that last one."

Kitsune's violet eyes glittered mischievously.

"Had a few tricks did he?"

Miyabi smiled demurely.

"Damn, you're glowing. He must have really given it to you good," Kitsune observed with a little envy.

"Yes. He was fantastic. He really surprised me."

"Where is he?" the redhead asked, eagerly scanning the crowd. "I want him next."

Miyabi looked into the sea of faces, but couldn't find the familiar one she was looking for.

"He might be gone already. I'm not sure."

Kitsune pouted.

"Well, point him out next time you see him. I want a piece."

Miyabi nodded, still trying to catch her breath.

"Sure. He's easy to spot because he had this real strange thing about him."

"What's that?" the redhead asked, letting her eyes drift to check out a man that was particularly well muscled and actually rather handsome.

"His eyes," Miyabi answered. "They were a color I'd never seen before. They were yellow."

XXXXX

As soon as Sakura's act was finished, Juu escorted her over to the booths, and it was a good thing he did. Half the crowd seemed to follow, all vying for a piece of her attention, some of them waving stacks of cash at her that could have paid off an A-ranked mission.

She was overwhelmed by all the attention and tried to sort out the impossible task of picking who looked to be the sleaziest and most suspicious of them all. As far as she was concerned, they were all scum in her book.

Kakashi watched as a swarm of people gathered around his partner, blocking her from his view. He could see Juu making sure none of her admirers got too close unless they were chosen by her specifically for some one on one time. Kakashi couldn't see her face but he imagined her seductress act was still in place as she beckoned the winner into a booth with her. What would happen then? Would she grind on his lap without a shred of clothing on? Would she push him down on the bed, hovering over him and whispering dirty words until she caught him in her jutsu? Once again his mind wondered just how much touching she allowed and his hands involuntarily balled into fists at the thought of strange hands cupping those breasts, of unknown lips brushing her skin.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, telling himself to get a grip. He knew from the start what this mission would require and it made no sense for him to get all bent out of shape over her doing what was needed. He was starting to act like a jealous boyfriend.

The thought made him pause. Him? Acting like his ex-student's boyfriend? He hadn't been anyone's boyfriend in…in a long time. He certainly had no claim to Sakura and even though he tried to convince himself he was just being silly, a persistent thought wormed through his brain, whispering just how nice it would be if Sakura was his and his alone. Then that body, that laugh, that smile, even that little pulsing vein she got on her larger than normal forehead when she was angry would be all his and he wouldn't have to share her with anyone else who wanted a piece.

The Copy Nin growled to himself in exasperation, stalking off to the bathroom. He needed to get his head on straight and cut the crap. He was being unusually sentimental tonight with wistful thoughts of having Sakura to himself. Of course his unusually mushy sentiment couldn't mask his lust, the steel strong erection in his pants proved that, but he had never been a one-woman man, preferring one night stands with no strings, commitments or complications. Life was just simpler that way. And now here he was with visions running through his head of being with his student, not just being with her in bed, but really being with her and it was utterly ridiculous. Her little striptease must have possessed magical powers to get him this mixed up, although he had to admit, seeing her in that pink outfit that was gradually shed piece by piece had left his mind completely blown.

He walked into the bathroom and stood before the sink, tugging down his mask and lifting his eye patch so he could splash cold water on his face. He looked unusually haggard and supposed it was the toll that came with constantly warring with himself. He wanted her bad but knew he couldn't have her, and yet he kept getting into situations that only heightened his lust. He normally wasn't a foolish man, but for all his intelligence, he couldn't figure out how to pull his head back together again.

He left the bathroom, so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice Miyabi stumble to the woman's bathroom, looking unusually pale and far too clumsy to be feeling normal. The door shut without Kakashi ever noticing, and instead he made his way to the club's main door, deciding that some fresh air was better medicine at this point than alcohol.

There was a line of people outside who were waiting to get in, momentarily painted shades of pink as the sign reading "Girls" above them flashed on and off. A big, burly bouncer whom his name Kakashi didn't remember guarded the door imposingly. Dajaku had given all his employees explicit instructions to let Kakashi come and go as he pleased, claiming he was an old friend, so getting back inside wouldn't be a problem.

He walked around to the back alley where the dumpsters were, hoping for a little piece of mind and was slightly disappointed to find several men leaning against the brick walls and smoking casually. Another who didn't seem to belong to their group was talking on a cellphone in tones so low Kakashi couldn't pick up what he was saying over the mumbled conversations the others were having.

"Did you see that babe tonight that did the solo act?" one of the smokers was saying.

"Yeah, she was one sexy little thing. Did you see how the carpet matched the drapes? I've never seen a natural pinky before," his buddy replied, letting out a long plume of smoke as he spoke.

"I bet she's pink in other places too," another one chuckled darkly. "If I had the cash to afford her, I'd make sure to find out."

They all laughed at his joke, nodding in agreement, one of them finishing his cigarette and flicking the butt of it away, only to have it hit the man on the phone in the leg, the lit end leaving a burn mark on the fabric.

The man, whose face had been hidden by shadows, finished his conversation and shut the phone with a snap, turning to face the three men smoking.

"These pants were expensive," he growled. "Which one of you is responsible for buying me a new pair?"

The careless man seemed unconcerned, crossing his arms over his chest and shrugging.

"Hey man, it a tough city. Shit happens. If you could afford the first pair, I'm sure you could buy a second."

The man with the fresh burn on his pants didn't seem to like that answer. He moved forward into the sliver of green light from the club's neon sign that wasn't blocked out by the wall of the building.

Kakashi's uncovered eye narrowed. That face, handsome but unmemorable, it was familiar.

"I guess you and your friends really are as dumb as you look if you're trying to pick a fight with me," he said threateningly.

He lifted his head to stare at his opponents and Kakashi's breath caught in his throat as the weak neon lights reflected off gleaming yellow eyes.

"I'd say you're the dumb one, considering you're outnumbered," one of the smokers replied, grinding out the last of his cigarette under his heavy boot.

"Is that so," the yellow eyed man said, a sadistic grin appearing on his lips.

Suddenly, the air was filled with a sort of thrumming tension. It started out weak and then grew stronger, a steady pulse that pushed against the skin and made the air feel heavy.

"Hey, what the hell?" one of the men said, clearly not understanding the force originating from the man they had thoroughly pissed off, but Kakashi recognized it immediately. It was chakra, extremely strong chakra.

"You still wanna fight or are you going to pay up nice and easy?" Yellow said, taking a step forward towards the man who had burned his pants.

The man shrank back but didn't answer and the chakra around them increased, pounding in waves, the energy so strong that the air practically crackled with it.

This man was undoubtedly a shinobi and a strong one at that, so strong that Kakashi guessed he would have trouble going up against him in a fight. He could easily make ANBU with power like that, but he wore no symbol of any ninja village. Just who was this man?

"Hey, what's your problem, you freak?" one of the guys said angrily, his eyes wide and voice tinged with fear as he realized he had no chance of winning a fight against this man.

"Just pay the guy already," his friend said, his voice high with panic.

Apparently, he valued his life more than his pride, because he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and threw a wad of money at that shinobi's feet before edging out of the ally and breaking into a full run along with his friends.

Kakashi watched in silence as the man stooped to pick up the crinkled bills, the overwhelming chakra in the air dissipating.

"What is the world coming to when young people in Fuzen don't even recognize shinobi anymore?" he mused, his anger seeming to have evaporated along with his pulsating energy. "Those punks had no idea what they were getting themselves into."

The man's posture seemed to relax as he tucked the money into his pants pocket, apparently not finding Kakashi a threat. The Copy Nin knew that he would have no better chance than this to question the man, especially since he didn't appear hostile at the moment, although that would probably change very soon.

"I have a few questions I'd like to ask you," he said quietly, taking a step closer to the mysterious man.

To his surprise, the man chuckled softly.

"I could say the same thing to you, Kakashi Hatake,"

The eye not hidden by the eye patch widened slightly, his hand instinctively going to the kunai hidden in his heavy jacket.

The yellow eyed man saw the movement and drew his own kunai from an unknown pocket, spinning it around on his finger lazily, the metal glinting under pink and green lights.

"Don't look so surprised," he said with amusement. "That disguise of yours can't fool me. You're an easy man to recognize considering you've been in the bingo books since you were, what, sixteen? Seventeen? That's quite an accomplishment."

"Why are you here?" Kakashi said sternly, ignoring the mysterious man's almost jovial remarks.

The man only smirked knowingly.

"Why, the same reason as you I imagine. Even the great Copy Ninja needs a little pussy now and then, although, you're a long way home and I doubt you came all the way here just to fuck."

Kakashi stood tensely, every muscle wound tight in preparation to fight if he had to. This man was incredibly powerful and his intentions were cryptic. He had to be on his guard.

"Just answer my question without the bullshit," he said, even voice sounding almost calm despite all the tension.

The strange man actually laughed, catching the kunai in his hand mid spin and pointed it at his interrogator.

"You are quite an impatient man Hatake-san, hardly befitting of a famous ninja,"

Kakashi's eye narrowed and the yellow eyed man grinned.

"Alright, I'll tell you," he said, leaning in as if he were about to divulge a big secret. "I came to screw and I did. I few weeks back I tried to get that new girl with the pink hair in the sack but she turned me down. When I showed up tonight, I find she's turned into some sort of star and has far too many people all trying to get into her panties, so I picked someone else, pretty face, legs that go on forever and the sweetest tits I've ever seen."

Kakashi stiffened at the mention of Sakura but said nothing.

"And then," the man said, grin spreading wider. "I fucked her brains out. I made her scream for me when she came. I wouldn't be surprised if the bitch has trouble walking tomorrow after—"

His sentence was cut off with the clang of metal as kunai clashed. Kakashi had rushed forward, intending to lodge the weapon in his shoulder and perhaps help him get to the point and come clean about what he was really doing with the girls at the club.

The ninja seemed amused, clucking his tongue at him.

"Temper, temper. Don't go getting all pissy on me. I didn't do anything to her she didn't enjoy. Besides, they're whores. It's their job to lie in bed with their legs over their heads."

Metal ground against metal as Kakashi rasped out, "What about the ones that go missing? What do you know about them?"

The man laughed again, warm and carefree, his gleaming yellow eyes staring into his opponents single black orb. They were dangerous and a little wild but held a sharp sort of intelligence in them, a deadly combination.

"So the truth comes out. Kakashi Hatake has come to Fuzen Machi to solve a little mystery."

They broke apart, poised to strike again.

"Sorry," he chuckled. "But I can't help you play detective."

He placed his kunai between his teeth, freeing up his hands to make the signs for a teleportation jutsu and in the blink of an eye, he was gone, with just a puff of smoke marking where he had stood.

Kakashi stilled, searching the area for signs of chakra, but there was nothing. Even if he had masked it he would have felt a flicker to mark that he was near by, but there was nothing. He had let him get away.

"Damn it," he growled angrily, pocketing his weapon. In a stroke of luck he had finally come face to face with the man they had been searching for and he had let him get away. However, the way he had danced around his questions and the lack of surprise he had shown when asked about the missing dancers made him more suspicious than ever. Kakashi was willing to bet money that he had found their man, only now their target knew they were looking for him which was only going to make their job harder. Fantastic.

Kakashi sprang effortlessly to the rooftops and scanned the cityscape of bright lights in darkness. He couldn't have gone too far and if there was any chance of finding him tonight, he had to move now.

He took off over the rooftops, eyes searching the streets below and senses tuned to picking up any sign of the chakra that had scared away the street punks.

Sakura would just have to take care of herself tonight.

XXXXX

The hours until closing passed in a blur. One face blended into the next until she couldn't remember them all, not that any of them had anything interesting to say that benefitted the mission in any way, although she remembered the guy that had roughly grabbed her ass during a lapdance, because she had had Juu throw him out, not at all in the mood to take crap from anyone tonight.

She had so many people crowded around the booths, begging for attention, that she didn't even have a chance to glance out into the rest of the club or get back up on stage for another set of dances. She didn't even use her jutsu on anyone, not that she needed to, for it seemed that giving a lap dance totally naked could loosen up a man's tongue quite a bit.

One man she had performed for had reminded her a little bit like Kakashi. He was probably about the same age and the same wiry thin body type, and even though he didn't have a mask covering his face or an eye patch, he had the same odd shade of silvery hair though her customer's was a little shorter and less unruly.

His hands had run gently up and down her thighs as she ground on him, his breath coming out in shaking and irregular exhalations against the back of her neck.

With her back to him, it was easy to pretend that it was in fact Kakashi she was dancing for. Her mind drifted back to the way his hands had expertly massaged her thighs, his touches leaving trails of fire. She imagined it was Kakashi's breath on her neck, warm and slightly harsh and she felt something deep within her stir.

When the fabric of his pants brushed over her clit she let out a soft moan, her body becoming more sensitized as her arousal grew at the thoughts of having her ex-sensei beneath her.

"Are you getting hot, baby?" he rasped against her neck, his voice too high to be Kakashi's.

His hands slid to her hips and gently pressed her down as he arched his hips up, pressing his hardened erection against her unclothed sex. The contact made her shudder and another soft moan left her throat.

"Mmm, yeah. Moan just like that. It's so hot."

His hands began to creep down her hips and along her inner thighs, dangerously close to her heated center.

"You better keep your hands to yourself, baby," she panted, not so far gone as to let a stranger touch her there. He may have reminded her of Kakashi in a lot of ways, but the fact was, he was not.

"Oh come on, let me make you feel good too. I wanna see how wet you are," he rasped against her neck, fingers dancing along her inner thighs.

"If you don't follow the rules, I'll throw you out," she said firmly and his hands grudgingly came to rest on her hips again, pushing her down as he arched up again, sending a stab of heat through her with ever grind until they were both panting hard.

If they had continued, there was a chance that Sakura just might have come as she closed her eyes and pretended it was Kakashi she was dry humping, that it was his groans filling the small room, but his set of songs ended and she sent him on his way, and as she watched him leave, she wondered what kind of crazy person she was to fantasize about giving her teacher a lapdance and get incredibly turned on by it. The man's pants were proof of it, considering he had a large wet spot on his dark pants from where her juices had coated him as he guided her in a slow grind over his erection.

XXXXX

By the time the club was closed, Sakura was exhausted, and even though she felt dirty, she couldn't bring herself to take another shower, deciding that sleep was far more important at the moment. She hadn't seen Kakashi as the last lingering patrons were herded out the door, which was strange considering he usually stayed until the bitter end.

She couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with her solo act. She hadn't been able to see his face up close from his usual position in the back, but she knew he had been looking at her and her fingers itched to find her cellphone and text him, asking him what he thought of it all and apologizing for springing a surprise like that on him. By the time she had washing off all her makeup and changed into a lose T-shirt, texting seemed like too much effort, especially since she would have to do it in secret. Instead, she was the first one into bed, having no trouble winding down after a long night and within moments of her head hitting the pillow, she was sound asleep.

XXXXX

"Damn it," Kakashi growled angrily as he scanned yet another backstreet of Fuzen Machi without finding the man he searched for. He had already been around every strip club, bar and place where questionable business deals went down and nobody had seen a trace of a man with yellow eyes. He kept all his senses alert, hoping to pick up even a glimmer of the powerful chakra signature he had felt earlier, but there was absolutely nothing.

Tonight had resulted in quite a development. By sheer dumb luck he had stumbled upon his target, but his power had taken him by surprise and Kakashi had let him escape. They had always kept in mind the possibility that their target could be a shinobi, but Kakashi had never considered that he could be a man so skilled that his powers as a ninja rivaled his own. They weren't dealing with the typical beefed up thug who could handle a B-ranked mission at best. This man was elite, and a little crazy, which made him even more dangerous. And Kakashi had let him get away.

Why, of all nights did he have to come now? He knew he had been horribly distracted at the club, staring so intensely at his naked partner that he had been completely oblivious to the crowds around him. Hell, their target could have taken the stool next to him at the bar and he probably wouldn't have noticed. He cursed himself for finding Sakura's ass more interesting than his mission and realized that if he didn't get himself under control, his lecherous tendencies could cost them their assignment, assuming it hadn't already

And then there was the fact that the mysterious man had seen right through his disguise and known exactly who he was. Sure, Kakashi had been a famous assassin back in his time but he hadn't taken many missions of that extremity since he left ANBU. The man had to be quite knowledgeable about the shinobi in the bingo books to recognize his face, so what did that make him? A bounty hunter? Perhaps. He knew that Kakashi was here, but what about Sakura? There was no price on her head, but if the man knew they were working together she could be in jeopardy as well.

Kakashi ground his teeth in frustration. It seemed that tonight's events had created more questions than they had answered. He still didn't know for a fact that the man was even involved with the missing dancers, but the insistent feeling in his gut told him that they had found their man, even if he couldn't prove it, and Kakashi wasn't about to ignore his instincts that had seldom failed him in the past.

He bounded over the rooftops, scanning for places his target could hide. Fuzen Machi was a big city. He could search until dawn and probably not find the man he was looking for, but he had to try, he had to do all he could before he faced Sakura and told her that he had been too busy watching her dance in all her feminine glory and beauty to realize their target had been right under his nose.

XXXXX

Sakura was slow to awaken the next morning, her mind clinging to the realm of unconsciousness for as long as possible. Her eyelids still felt heavy when she attempted to open them so for a moment, she just laid in bed, enjoying the darkness of her windowless room. There was no sound of breath but her own. Miyabi and even Misaki must already be up, and if the bouncy blonde had risen before her, she figured the morning must have already passed and it was now afternoon.

Even that knowledge couldn't persuade her to immediately jump out of bed. Sleepiness stubbornly stuck to her, making her limbs feel heavy and her mind fuzzy.

Finally she was able to swing one leg out of bed, wincing as the cold air permeated her groggy senses and made her a little more aware. For sleeping so much, she sure didn't feel very rested. Perhaps she had dreamed through the night, her mind running wild even if her body was still, but if she had dreamed, she didn't remember.

She emerged into the hallway, squinting at the bright light that streamed through the window, and though the sun was indeed high in the sky, she guessed it wasn't much later than eleven o'clock.

Whispering murmurs reached her ears and she turned to find people gathered in the common room. She schlepped towards them unceremoniously, running fingers through wild pink strands in a futile attempt to untangle and smooth her bed head.

The second she entered in the room, she immediately picked up on the somber mood and the residual sleepiness in her was instantly gone. The air was heavy as all the girls grew silent when she entered, dull eyes looking at her blankly. There were no smiles, no greetings of "good morning" like there usually was. Something was wrong.

"Hey guys, what's the matter?" she asked, immediately forgetting about the state of her hair.

Misaki had been facing away from her, face buried in Tora's chest. The way her body trembled slightly gave away the fact she was crying.

No one spoke as the small blonde untangled herself from the taller woman who had been rubbing her back soothingly. Her normally bright eyes were now glassy with tears and the wet tracks down her cheeks were evidence of the tears that had already fallen. Sakura had never seen her cry, and the sight of the normally happy girl in tears was heartbreaking.

"Misaki?" Sakura said gently.

"I-it's Miyabi," she sniffed softly, her voice trembling just as much as the rest of her. "She's gone."

XXXXX

And that concludes another chapter! Hopefully I'll be able to juggle school and work and my video game addiction well enough to find time to add another installment before Christmas comes around. Until then, drop me a line. I love hearing from all of you!

J-Pop


	15. Chapter 15

Hello everyone. Thank you so much for all the support you have all given this fic. I really appreciate each and every review you guys take the time to write!

Unfortunately, this may be the last update for a while since I have been talked into writing for a Halloween themed Kaka/Saku contest, but don't worry, that too will be posted when I am finished so at least expect that some time next month.

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Stripped Bare- Chapter 15

Sakura couldn't believe she had heard right.

"Gone?" she whispered, suddenly feeling as if her heart had leapt up into her throat and was fluttering about wildly like a bird trying to escape its cage. "What do you mean gone?"

"She's not in the building," Tora said gravely. "And nobody knows where she is."

"Her bed hasn't been slept in," Misaki sniffled through her tears. "Hana, I think she's been kidnapped!"

As she spoke, she broke down again, fresh sobs wracking her small frame. All the other women remained silent, their faces pinched with worry.

Sakura's mind was reeling as she tried to figure out how this could have happened. She remembered seeing Miyabi last night after the club had closed. Nobody had been around except those currently present in the room. She assumed Tsurenai and Dajaku had been in their own rooms or downstairs in his office, but she had been so tired that she hadn't been focused on anything except going straight to bed.

Tora placed a hand on Misaki's shoulder but the comforting gesture did little to quell her tide of tears.

"When was the last time any of you saw her?" Sakura asked, trying to think straight and see if, perhaps, there was a logical explanation for all of this.

"She was reading on the couch after the club closed," Jitsu offered after thinking for a moment. "She said she didn't feel like she could sleep, like she felt restless. I didn't think anything of it at the time."

Several of the girl's exchanged glances. Miyabi was usually completely cool and composed and for her to be on edge was indeed unusual. Sakura's calculating mind was already working to fit pieces of the cryptic puzzle together in hopes of discovering where the missing woman could be, but she had little to go on She wished she had been more observant last night as opposed to making a beeline for bed.

"Anyone else?" she asked. "Did anyone see her perhaps talking with someone suspicious or acting strange?"

Tora and Misaki shook their heads but Kitsune seemed to remember something.

"There was one thing," she spoke hesitantly. "But it's probably nothing."

"Just tell me everything you can," Sakura encouraged.

"Well, I saw her come out of one of the end booths and she actually looked a little rattled, like just standing was difficult. It turns out her customer had been a real master in the bedroom and she hadn't recovered yet."

"Did you see the man she had been with?" Sakura asked, her heart thumping a little more rapidly in her chest.

"No," Kitsu said, sounding almost disappointed. "I wanted to track him down to see if he'd take me for a spin or at least come back on another night, but Miyabi figured he was already gone."

"She didn't say what he looked like, did she?" the kunoichi asked, feeling the almost tangible sensation of their only lead slipping through her fingers.

"Now that you mention it, she did," the redhead pondered. "She mentioned he had strange colored eyes."

"What?" Sakura questioned a little too sharply before realizing her mistake and forcing herself to calm down.

If the other women found her reaction strange, they didn't show it, even though Sakura wouldn't be surprised if they could hear her heart pounding loudly in her chest as if she had just run at top speed through half of Fire country.

"His eyes," Kistune continued softly. "I think she said they were yellow."

It was as if something cold and heavy had just taken up residence in the pit of Sakura's stomach as the dreadful realization sunk in. Yellow was their man. She was now completely sure of it. He had gotten to Miyabi and now she had vanished. It was all she could do to keep from uttering her next thought aloud.

Shit.

XXXXX

Sakura was on stage again, dancing sensuously but this time, the hooker heels were missing as was the heavy make up and thigh high stockings. She was completely nude and natural, and gloriously radiant. A spotlight was on her, illuminating glistening skin as she tossed her long, wavy hair.

The club was the same, the stage was the same, and his seat was the same, in the back at the bar, watching her with one dark eye, but that eye was the only eye on her. There was nobody else in the building. No other dancers, or patrons or bartenders. Even Dajaku was missing. It was just her and him and the music. And she was dancing just for him.

Her movements were fluid, almost like liquid, one step blending into the next. Every roll of her hips made Kakashi's mouth a little dryer as she danced, elegant and forbidden as an ethereal nymph or goddess he had been blessed to stumble across.

At first she danced as if she were oblivious to his presence, swaying her body and grinding against the cool metal of her pole just for the sake of her own pleasure. But then, glimmering eyes met his from across the room and she smiled, not one full of seduction and predatory heat, but one of gentle warmth. It was a smile he had seen her give him thousands of times ever since she had been a young girl of twelve, and over the years it had only grown more beautiful.

She continued to dance, her eyes never leaving his as she moved. She was teasing him now, giving him the barest of glimpses between her toned thighs, but never enough for him to get a good look.

Suddenly, he was walking towards her, drawn to her by some invisible force. His feet moved of their own accord and it almost felt as if he were floating, caught in a magnetic pull that he was powerless to fight.

She only continued to smile at him and dance as he neared, dropping to all fours and crawling towards him, pert breasts swaying as she made her way to the edge of the stage. He was at the platform now, and it was so high that it came up to his chest, literally putting Sakura on a pedestal.

She swung her legs over the edge, bare feet dangling and her hips sitting at eye level. She looked down at him, those beautiful jade orbs now as hazy as they had been yesterday, clouded with hot lust and burning need.

"Kakashi," she whispered, her voice velvety, warm and sweet like melted chocolate.

He was helpless to do anything but obey, a spider caught in her web and he felt his breath catch when she began to part her thighs, spreading them wide to reveal to him the treasure nestled there.

She reached down, tangling both hands in his hair and guiding his head towards her, showing him exactly what she wanted and Kakashi couldn't think of anything he would rather do than to serve the woman commanding him.

He pulled his mask down just before her hands pushed him into her center, hips tilting to offer more of herself to the mouth that longed to taste her.

Her bare thighs were hot as they pressed against his shoulders and Kakashi let his tongue slide from his lips, intending to delve inside her and drink up the sweetness of her most precious place.

Suddenly, a tinny, annoyingly cheerful melody cut through the air, a sound that was completely unrelated to the low, thrumming bass of the club's music.

Kakashi pulled back from his long awaited prize and looked up at her?

"What the hell is that?"

Sakura said nothing, her smile in place even as she began to fade away, becoming translucent and diaphanous before disappearing completely.

The Copy nin opened a bleary eye to discover that he was not in the empty building of Wet Dreams, but in bed with an erection he could hammer nails with and his cell phone singing its merry little tune into the blackness of his motel room. Why couldn't phones actually sound like phones instead of pocket sized orchestras? He fumbled for it irritably, checking the light up display to discover it was almost noon and that Sakura was calling him.

He jabbed at the button to accept the call and rolled onto his back with the phone pressed to his ear.

"Hello?" he rasped, his voice still hoarse and heavy with sleep.

"Kakashi?" came her voice, trembling enough for him to notice even over the phone.

"Sakura?" he said with concern, his exhaustion immediately melting away. "What is it? Are you alright?"

"I'm outside your motel," she said, her voice wavering unsteadily as if she were on the verge of tears. "Can you let me in? It's an emergency."

XXXXX

Upon opening the security gate, his annoyance at being roused after only a few hours of sleep vanished. Even the inconvenience of having to tuck his erection into his waistband so it didn't jut out and form strange shapes in his sweat pants seemed trivial compared to the distressed look on her face.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, allowing her to step inside the hallway so he could close the gate behind him.

"I think we better go to your room," she sniffled softly.

He nodded and let her lead the way.

"I have a lot to tell you as well," he said.

XXXXX

Kakashi sat quietly, turning over in his mind what Sakura had just told him. Another dancer had gone missing and they had proof that she had had contact with the yellow-eyed man. The strange thing was that he hadn't abducted her on the spot. It would have been easy for him to teleport her outside the club with a simple jutsu and make a clean getaway, but he hadn't. So how exactly had he gotten her out of the building without any witnesses?

Sakura had spoken in a choked whisper, obviously on the verge of tears. Shinobi were trained to remain emotionally detached on missions in order to prevent feelings from clouding their judgment at crucial moments, but it was obvious Sakura had formed a strong bond with the girls she was living with. He couldn't really blame her for it, knowing himself how difficult it was to bury powerful emotions, especially those of someone as kind and vivacious as Sakura. He understood the grief that must be filling her heart, for one of her new friends had disappeared on her watch. He felt a sharp stab of guilt at the fact that it had been his watch too.

"Did you see Miyabi at all last night? Was she acting strange in any way?" Sakura asked quietly. She had curled up in his chair, her feet perched on the edge of the seat with her knees drawn up and her hands clasped around them. In truth, she looked absolutely miserable; weak and vulnerable without any of the strength and confidence she normally possessed. The more he looked at her, the worse he felt for being so caught up in staring at her last night that he has been oblivious to everything else.

Kakashi shook his head and sat on the foot of his bed, feet on the floor and elbows resting on his knees. Miyabi could have been walking around on her hands and he wouldn't have noticed. He couldn't believe he had screwed up this bad. What the hell was the matter with him?

"Oh," Sakura said solemnly, seeming to curl up into an even tighter ball. She watched him glumly, the partially opened blinds behind her casting stripes of light over Kakashi's face and T-shirt clad torso, entrapping him in a cage of sunlight and shadow. "I didn't see anything either. I was giving lapdances all night but didn't get any clues from any of them."

"That doesn't matter anymore," Kakashi sighed, scrubbing a hand wearily over his mask covered face. "Yellow is our man. I'm sure of it."

Green eyes shifted from where they were staring forlornly at the dirty carpet to his face, silently asking how he could be so sure.

"I saw him last night," Kakashi said. "He was outside the club in the alley. He got in an argument with some street punks and flared chakra powerful enough to scare them away."

Sakura suddenly sat up stick straight as if an electric current had passed through her.

"Chakra? Then that means…"

"He's a shinobi," Kakashi finished. "And an extremely powerful one at that. These kids knew nothing about life energy and yet they felt it and were frightened by it. This guy is powerful Sakura, and I can tell that without even having seen him seriously fight."

"A shinobi…" Sakura breathed, wide eyed. "Jounin rank?"

"At least," he replied. "This guy could probably easily qualify for ANBU, but I'm not really sure what I'm up against. I don't know what element he specializes in or even what village he's from, but he sure has a thing for women…in a bad way. He talks about them like they're objects."

"So did he say he was behind the kidnappings?" Sakura asked, leaning forward eagerly in her chair, suddenly full of energy now that their first concrete lead was before them.

"Not exactly. He danced around most of my questions."

"Well why didn't you press a little harder?" Sakura asked with aggravation, leaning so far forward that she was in danger of toppling out of her chair.

"It's not like I was in a position to do that. There were lots of witnesses just around the corner considering the line to get into the club was a long one. I asked what I could but he never answered me directly. But…"

"But?" Sakura prompted when he didn't immediately continue.

"He recognized me. He called me by my name."

Sakura stared at him quizzically for a moment before shaking her head in disbelief.

"What? How could he—"

"The Bingo book," Kakashi answered. "He recognized me from my picture even with my disguise. That means he has to be pretty well acquainted with those pictures."

"A bounty hunter?" Sakura wondered, no longer curled into a ball, but sitting straight with feet on the floor, her body laced with tension.

"That's what I thought too but somehow I don't think so. My gut tells me it's something else, besides, he didn't say anything about recognizing you."

"But I'm not in any of the Bingo books," Sakura remarked.

Kakashi shrugged.

"Perhaps that's why, but I have a hard time believing he wouldn't know the Hokage's own apprentice if he's up to date on events in the shinobi world."

They sat in silence for a moment, thinking over their situation before Sakura spoke softly.

"You think you could beat him in a fight?"

Kakashi looked at her wearily with mismatched eyes, having forgone the eye patch since it was just the two of them talking.

"I don't know Sakura. I really don't know."

She sighed, slumping back into her chair.

"So now what?" she asked.

"Well, I tried tailing him last night when he ran off on me, but I didn't have any luck. He seemed cocky, arrogant, like he didn't think I could catch him. He's not afraid of me. I'm pretty sure he'll be back."

Sakura nodded absently, her eyes seeming to look through him and far away as her mind worked furiously to try and process all that she'd just learned.

"So what about Miyabi? Do you think your dogs can track her?"

Kakashi thought a moment.

"It's worth a shot. I just need an article of her clothing so they can pick up her scent."

He hadn't even finished the sentence before Sakura began rooting around in her pocket before producing something small and black and…lacy.

Kakashi raised a silvery eyebrow.

"Are those what I think they are?"

"Yes. I wasn't sure if anything else she had worn hadn't already been worn by someone else. We share a lot of clothes at the club."

"I see," Kakashi mused as she placed the scrap of silky lace in his palm. "So you bring me her underwear."

A mischievous smirk formed on his features, the first light hearted expression since they had started their conversation

"Are they dirty?"

Sakura glowered at him.

"Don't go getting any ideas you pervert. If I catch you sniffing them, I will personally break your nose."

Kakashi held up his hands innocently in a gesture that said he would never think of doing such a thing and he was hurt that she'd even think it, although the smirk on his lips made that a little hard to believe.

She seemed unconvinced by his antics, but her scowl faded quickly to be replaced by a much sadder expression.

"I'll do everything I can to find her," he promised gently, wanting to touch her shoulder comfortingly but feeling that doing so while holding a pair of dirty panties wouldn't really convey what he wanted to say.

"I know you will," she said softly, forcing a small smile that didn't reach her eyes.

He pocketed the lacy garment and his mind drifted to when Sakura had shed her own underwear the night before. He felt like a creep for picturing her naked when she was obviously upset, but he couldn't help it. He had officially seen her naked and had definitely liked what he saw, so much in fact that he had let another kidnapping happen right under his nose.

"Sakura," he began, his voice taking on a somber tone. "About last night…"

The kunoichi's glare turned into a sheepish smile as she absently played with a lock of smooth pink hair.

"Yeah about that," she said softly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner that I was going to take Tsurenai's place. Dajaku thought that maybe if I was the main attraction, our culprit wouldn't be able to resist me, but I guess he was pretty wrong about that wasn't he?"

She had obviously misinterpreted what he meant about 'last night', but hell, there were a million things he could have meant, like seducing her on his bed and coming incredibly close to completely ravishing her. He was thankful that she hadn't taken it that way, or even the way he had planned. He wanted to tell her that he should take at least some of the blame for Miyabi's disappearance because he was too busy ogling her, so she would acknowledge she wasn't always the only one at fault and perhaps not take it so hard. But she already seemed so upset over recent developments, that he didn't want her to shift some of that anger onto him. Besides, he wasn't ready to confess just how caught up he had been in watching her dance and how much he had desired her. He didn't want her to be mad at him, and though he knew it was selfish of him, he quickly diverted the conversation to follow Sakura's interpretation.

"Well, it was a bit of a surprise," Kakashi admitted. "A warning would have been nice."

"Sorry," Sakura said, a blush starting to tinge her cheeks. "I could see you watching me from the back of the room and I wondered how you were taking it."

Kakashi settled back on the bed, resting on his elbows as he regarded her. In all honesty, seeing her had made him want to drag her to the bathroom and jump her bones, but instead he casually answered, "You did well. You had a lot of confidence in front of all those people. I see you took my teachings to heart."

Sakura smiled shyly and blushed a little more. It was amusing and rather endearing to see this woman, who was normally so strong and so proud, blush.

"Well, it's nice to be admired once in a while. I certainly don't get this kind of attention back home."

Kakashi silently wondered what she would think if he told her he had been admiring her for the entire length of this mission.

"I'm going to tell him I won't do it again though," she continued. "It compromises too many things and if he gets mad over the lost money, he can just shove his selfish complaints up his ass."

"I think that's for the best as well," he said, simultaneously overjoyed and sad that her beautiful, naked body would not be on full display ever again.

A moment of silence passed, and then another, stretching out until the air bore a heavy weight of all the things they wanted to say to each other, but couldn't.

"Well," Sakura said, standing abruptly when the awkward silence became too much for her, "I should get going. I left the club with Juu, saying I wanted to pick some stuff up at the market and told him that I needed to run off to check something alone. Thank goodness he isn't the brightest man or he never would have let me go without him. I said I would meet him by the bookstore."

Kakashi's eyes shifted to the window where the light streaming in had dimmed slightly as the sun dipped behind gray clouds. The adult bookstore could be seen down below, its neon sign off at the moment.

"That bookstore?" he asked, nodding towards the window.

Sakura nodded, moving to peek out in between the blinds and found that Juu wasn't waiting for her just yet.

Kakashi moved to stand beside her, staring into the ally below. The world was once again painted in various gray tones as dark clouds took over the sky. It looked like there would be rain tonight.

He could feel tension crackling between them, a strained silence of unspoken words. He knew he had to address the issue they had carefully tip toed around. He had to talk about their massage session gone horribly wrong, and tell her it didn't mean anything.

"Sakura, about what happened here yesterday," he said, drawing a deep breath and steeling himself for her reaction. "It should have never happened and I'm sorry that I took advantage of you. My behavior was extremely inappropriate."

Sakura didn't even turn to look at him but kept staring out into the street, making it very hard for her partner to read her expression. The sky outside was darker than normal, with the promise of impending rain, and she hoped it wasn't an omen that their mission progress would turn stormy as well.

"I knew you'd say that," she said softly.

"Sakura, I—"

"Let me guess," she said, now turning her attention to him, her lips curved in a soft smile but her eyes devoid of any humor. "It could have happened with any woman, right?"

Was it his imagination, or did she almost look…sad?

"Well I suppose I could have lost control with any woman I was this comfortable with," Kakashi lied, knowing no woman had ever tempted him the way she had.

Sakura eyes him critically, as if sensing his fib and trying to decide whether she should call him on it or not. But instead she smirked, eyes growing devious as if a wicked idea had just come to her.

"So, you've seen me totally naked and touched me all over, but I haven't seen or touched anything of yours. That's a little unfair, don't you think?"

Kakashi blinked at her. Of all the things she could have said, he certainly wasn't expecting that.

"You saw my face," he reminded her, not sure if he liked where this was going.

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Yeah for about five minutes, and once was to heal you. You see my naked chest for hours every night. That's not exactly a fair trade."

Kakashi knew he should have sent her on her way while he had the chance, but he was just too damn curious to know what she was up to. If he had been a cat, his inquisitive streak might have killed him.

"So what do you suggest?" he asked, knowing he was treading dangerous ground.

Sakura smiled innocently, but her eyes gleamed brightly. She was a crafty little thing and he should have known better than to fall into her trap.

"Kiss me," she said.

For a moment, there was only silence as he tried to process the two little words that had passed her lips.

"No," he finally answered, his bland tone disguising the fact that he was more than a little surprised by her request and silently thanking the gods above that he had half the mind to refuse her.

Sakura pouted, immediately tapping into her reserve of new founds skills used to get what she wanted from men.

"Aw, come on. Just a little one?" she pleaded, making her eyes big and round like a doe's, knowing this tactic would be far more effective on her sensei than sultry glances. Considering he was the one that had taught her how to be sexy, feigned innocence would probably have much better results.

"No," Kakashi said again, even though those big, green eyes were making a strange ache rise in his chest.

Sakura was determined. She wanted this kiss, wanted to feel what it was like to have those lips of his actively pressing against hers instead of the passive touch of the kiss she had stolen while he was sleeping. He wanted it, she knew he did because she could see it in his eyes, but he was a stubborn man. Unfortunately for him, Sakura Haruno was not adverse to playing a little dirty.

"Why?" she asked, pushing out her pouty bottom lip a little further. "Don't you want me?"

"A teacher is not supposed to want his student," Kakashi remarked with a sigh, turning away from her and walking back towards the chair she had just abandoned. He sank into it wearily, as if resisting Sakura was physically draining, and he supposed that in a way it was, because, deep down, he desperately wanted to taste those rosy lips.

Kakashi had walked right into her trap with his response and she tried not to let a victorious smirk show on her lips.

"Then why were you all over me yesterday?"

She could tell her sensei cringed, even though he was facing away from her, and this time she did smirk before forcing her face back into a wounded pout. She walked towards him silently, hand falling to his shoulder before walking around until she was standing in front of him. She leaned down until they were eye level, her nose almost bumping his.

"You can't do all those things with a girl and not kiss her, Kakashi."

The Copy nin said nothing, keeping his face impassive even as he realized his student had backed him into a corner. He remained motionless as the hand not on his shoulder came up to his face, nimble fingers curling into the edge of his mask and pulling it down slowly, giving him plenty of time to stop her if he wanted. But it was as if he were paralyzed by those big green eyes, the jade orbs fixed on his face as the mask pooled around his neck. She took in all that she had revealed. And then she was leaning further into him, bringing her other hand to rest on his shoulder as well as her lips brushed over his.

Sakura noted he was rigid and unmoving as opposed to his usually relaxed posture. She was certainly affecting him despite his cool demeanor, but he made no move to participate as she deepened the kiss, pressing smooth lips more fully against his and let her eyes drift closed.

Kakashi did his best not to let out a pleasured gasp when she stole his breath away, knowing that the slightest sign of encouragement might prompt her to kiss him even deeper. If that tongue of hers sought entrance to his mouth, Kakashi knew he would instantly lose this battle of wills and submit to her completely. Chances were he would take things a step further as his lust raged out of control. He couldn't help but wonder if Sakura had any idea what she was getting herself into.

Sakura, on the other hand, knew exactly what she wanted from him. Her mind had been continually drifting back to yesterday's heated encounter and she found herself desiring more. Why was it so wrong to want what felt good? After all, out here, far away from Konoha, he wasn't so much her teacher as he was her partner.

He was just as Sakura remembered, warm and soft and tasting of something rich and dark. That familiar sensation sizzled along her nerve endings once more, even though their kiss was surprisingly chaste. He wasn't exactly kissing her back but he was allowing her to press her lips to his, which for now, she supposed was enough.

After a long moment, she finally pulled away and Kakashi allowed himself to breathe again, not even aware that he had been starving his lungs of oxygen. A smile was on her lips, beautiful and real, not one of those seductive looks he had taught her to give.

"Thank you, Kakashi," she whispered softly. "I believe this makes us even."

The older shinobi just stared at her mutely as her taste lingered enticingly on his lips. His body was left hot and tingly despite the briefness of their kiss. Yet the fact remained, he had just kissed his student and it frightened him a little to discover just how much he had liked it.

Sakura was hoping he would react in some way, although she wasn't sure exactly what she wanted from him. Perhaps she hoped he would pull her back towards him and plunder her mouth with all the passion and need she knew resided in him somewhere. He had shown her that side last night while on his bed, but today, he seemed to have his lust firmly locked away behind the bars of his iron will. He just looked at her and Sakura began to feel that this was all she was going to get out of him for now. At least she had gotten another look at his face and kissed him, this time with his consent.

"This mission has influenced you horribly," he said at last when he finally felt like he could speak without his voice trembling, pulling his mask back into place as he did so. "You never would have attempted something as scandalous as kissing me before all of this happened."

Sakura knew he was right. For one, she never would have had the courage to attempt something so bold, and two, she had never thought of him as attractive until they were sent to Fuzen Machi together. But she had, and the best part was she had quite literally seduced him into giving her another glimpse of his face. He had showed it to her, not because of extenuating circumstances, but because her womanly wiles had convinced him to. The day a woman managed to seduce the experienced Kakashi Hatake was a day to mark on the calendar.

She was about to reply when she glanced over his head to see Juu standing in front of the bookstore, looking around dumbly. It was best not to leave him there too long. Though he was a kind man, the fact he was surrounded by porn in video, audio, book, and picture form meant that he could wander inside and get distracted at any moment. She wouldn't mind a little more time with Kakashi, but she didn't want some crafty clerk talking Juu out of all of his hard earned money.

"I gotta go," Sakura said, straightening and flipping long pinks strands over her shoulder. "Call me if anything comes up with Miyabi. I'm really worried about her."

Kakashi nodded, patting his pocket where the scrap of ladies underwear resided. Her exit would once again be abrupt and, once again, he supposed it was for the better.

She made her way to the door and looked over her shoulder one last time.

"Thanks Kakashi. You made me feel a little better for a while."

He gave her one of those happy eye creases in response, and then she was gone, down the hallway and through the iron door that led back onto the street, leaving Kakashi touching his lips hesitantly, feeling the moisture of her kiss still residing there, and wondering why she was making it so hard for him to behave himself.

Sakura was in far better spirits now than when she had come. Miyabi was still missing but Kakashi was on the case now and that was far better than just waiting around without having taken any action.

She prayed that Yellow hadn't used a teleportation jutsu to whisk her away somewhere. If so, her scent would be impossible to trace, even for Kakashi's ninja dogs.

She wondered how successful she would be in interrogating the man. Would he be as easy to fool as all the rest? Would he be just as susceptible to her charm? Sakura didn't think so.

And then a thought came to her. He was an extremely high level shinobi who could sense chakra and knew what hand signs were. What if her illusion didn't work on him? Last time he had refused her lapdances, wanting sex or nothing at all, but what if just pretending to do it wasn't enough?

Hastily, she grabbed her phone and punched out a text message, cursing at how slow she was in finding the corresponding number to the letter she needed.

If he is an elite ninja, will my jutsu still work?

She waited for his reply, shifting her weight from one foot to the other anxiously as she pressed herself against the dull gray wall of his building. Finally, her phone beeped, signaling he had answered.

Maybe not. Trying it would be risky.

Sakura's heart sank in her chest. So what did that mean? She typed out another message.

So do I have to do it with him for real?

A few seconds of waiting never felt so long.

Probably.

She read the message and snapped her phone shut, taking deep breaths to keep the frustrated tears at bay. After everything she had done to keep herself from losing her virginity to a stranger, it seemed as it would still happen after all. Her inexperience would be painfully obvious and she wondered if that might blow her cover.

Her previous effervescent mood spawned by seducing Kakashi into a kiss promptly evaporated, replaced by an invisible raincloud over her as dark as the ones that hung in the sky for real.

She trudged back to the bookstore to meet Juu while turning the new information over in her mind, hoping she could find a way out of this situation. She found none.

XXXXX

Kakashi knew his answer to her text was not the one she had hoped for, but he honestly thought their mysterious culprit was most likely powerful enough to differentiate a jutsu from the real act of having sex. He didn't like it any more than she did, but there was just too much at stake to hope they were lucky enough to fool him.

He hadn't thought about the issue at the time, so it was a good thing Sakura had the foresight to plan ahead, but the thought of her losing her innocence to such a creep made Kakashi unconsciously ball his hands into angry fists. She deserved better than that.

But, that was a problem that would have to be dealt with later. Right now he had the more important task of tracking down Miyabi. Perhaps he could find the girl and her kidnapper before a situation arose where Sakura would have to use her body to get answers.

Shutting the blinds completely in favor of turning on a light, Kakashi raised his thumb to his lips, biting hard enough to break the skin before making a few quick hand signs. He knelt to press his palm to the ground and with a poof of white smoke, a small, droopy eyed dog appeared before him, a blue vest across his back and a Konoha hitai-ate spanning his fuzzy forehead.

"It's been a while, Kakashi," Pakkun said, nodding his head in greeting.

His nose wiggled as he sniffed the air while his eyes took in the sight of the small and dingy motel room. The clean smell of earth, water and trees that surrounded Konoha had been replaced with smoke and grime and all other things dirty.

"Where has your mission brought you this time?" the dog asked, figuring Kakashi was a long way from home.

"Fuzen Machi," the man answered. "A girl has gone missing and I need you to find her as quickly as possible."

He reached into his pocket and withdrew the dainty scrap of material that held Miyabi's scent while the dog watched on with questioning eyes.

"Is that what I think it—"

"Yes," Kakashi sighed before the pug had even finished his question.

"May I inquire how you managed to obtain women's underwear?"

"Sakura," he said bluntly, a little annoyed that both she and the dog had wasted no time in accusing him of being a dirty old man.

"Sakura? I see," Pakkun smiled. "I thought I smelled something familiar. We still use the same shampoo."

"Charming," Kakashi said, growing a little impatient. "Now if you don't mind, can we get on with this? There's a possibility it could rain and any chance we have of tracking down this girl will be washed away."

Pakkun grumbled that he should have just said so in the first place as Kakashi dangled the undergarment in front of the dog's nose.

After a brief hesitation, and what Kakashi could have sworn was a blush blooming over the pug's furry cheeks, he inhaled deeply, memorizing the feminine scent completely.

"Alright, I'll summon the other dogs and see what we can find," Pakkun said, still slightly incredulous that he had actually been instructed to sniff a woman's panties. "We'll report as soon as we find something."

"Good," Kakashi said, stuffing the lacy lingerie back in his pocket. "And one more thing. Try and be discreet. The fact that I'm a ninja isn't supposed to be blaringly obvious."

Pakkun rolled his eyes.

"Kakashi, we all wear vests and hitae-ate marking us as such. It will be a little hard to cover up."

"I know," the Copy nin said. "But do your best."

The dog gave a canine equivalent to a shrug and was just about to teleport away when he lifted his head and gave a long, thorough sniff.

"One more question. Why does your bed smell like Sakura?"

Kakashi stiffened slightly, hoping the dog hadn't noticed his rigid body posture.

"Because she was laying on it," he said shortly.

"What were you doing to her?" Pakkun pressed, his teeth flashing as his lips curled into a smile.

"Nothing," Kakashi snorted. "I just gave her a massage because she was sore and stressed."

The pug chuckled.

"It must have been one hell of a massage, because it smells like you got her pretty riled up—"

"That's enough," Kakashi said curtly, not wanting to be reminded about how hot and bothered he had gotten Sakura. He didn't appreciate his summoned friend figuring it out so easily and he certainly didn't want to talk about it. "You have a job to do. Get to it."

"Yes, yes," Pakkun relented. "But when you see Sakura, tell her I said hello."

And before Kakashi could retaliate to the dog's smug tone, he was gone in a poof of smoke.

The shinobi sighed as he gathered his clothes in preparation to change and go out for the day. He may have dogs tracking Miyabi, but he had a target of his own to hunt down, and the first step was learning the name of that man with yellow eyes.

XXXXX

It had been easier than Sakura expected to convince Juu that her prolonged absence was simply a matter of her errand taking longer than she thought it would. He accepted the excuse with a nod and led her back toward Wet Dreams. Sakura followed, feeling less talkative than normal after the shocking revelation that her days as a virgin could very well be numbered.

All throughout her teen years she had stubbornly held out hope that Sasuke would eventually come to return the love she felt for him, even when he had left Konoha in favor of training with Orochimaru. However, once he had come back, she began to see that Sasuke's opinion of her would never change. She was no longer weak or a crybaby, but in his eyes, she would forever be annoying.

Even with this knowledge, she had been unable to move on, her heart still pining for a man she could never have and as a result, she had never let anyone else in. She was too busy with hospital duties and still too full of love for the Uchiha to ever start a relationship with anyone else, and now she was going to pay for it by losing her innocence to a stranger for the sake of a mission.

She walked in a daze, unusually oblivious to her surroundings and soon she was back inside the club. Juu went off to clean whatever needed cleaning and Sakura was about to cross the room's darkened interior towards the dressing room when Dajaku called to her from his office.

"Hana, I need to talk to you, now."

By his tone alone, Sakura could tell he was not at all happy, and when she turned around to find him standing in the doorway with arms crossed and a dark expression on his face, she realized just how unhappy.

What was his problem? Counting his money wasn't entertaining anymore?

Sakura was in no mood for Dajaku's griping, but she walked into his office anyway since she had a piece of her mind to give him as well.

He shut the door a little too firmly behind him and took his seat, practically glaring at the woman before him.

"I'm sure you're aware Miyabi has gone missing," he practically snarled.

Sakura stood unfazed.

"I am."

The kunoichi's calm reply seemed to only make him angrier.

"What the hell did I hire you two for if my dancers are going to keep disappearing right out from under your noses?"

His voice began to rise but then he seemed to remember that Sakura's identity was supposed to remain a secret and forced himself to calm down.

"Dajaku," she said, her voice calm and quiet in comparison to his. "Last night, I was unable to do my job properly because you insisted I take Tsurenai's place. I told you he would never target a dancer getting so much attention and because I was giving lapdances all night, I never had the chance to monitor then men in the club."

"That's why you have your partner isn't it?" Dajaku countered, seeming to forget that he hadn't even thought to hire a second ninja for this job.

"He is only one man," Sakura replied. "We will be more efficient if we are both looking for the kidnapper. That is why I won't be doing Tsurenai's act anymore. I'm going back to being just another dancer so I can observe the club better."

Apparently he hadn't been expecting this and seemed taken aback.

"You can't!" he said, his silvery eyes wide. "With Miyabi gone, I'll need something new to keep customers coming in and you were so popular last night that—"

"I will not be used in your money making schemes," Sakura said, green eyes glaring down at him. "You hired us to do a job and I will not have you inhibiting my ability to complete it."

"But—" he began piteously, but then seemed to think better of it when she narrowed her eyes angrily, just daring him to say something she would make sure he'd regret.

The way Sakura was currently towering over his sitting form was clearly making him uncomfortable. He smoothed a hand over his intricate comb-over, and settled back in his chair.

"Fine, but you better catch this man soon."

Sakura was about to tell him that their target was a powerful shinobi and things would not be so simple, but thought better of it. The less their client knew, the better.

"We will do our best," she said instead and Dajaku sighed before waving his hand towards the door, signaling she could leave. Apparently he had nothing left to say so he settled for picking up an expensive looking calculator and began punching in numbers, probably calculating profit loss.

Sakura left Dajaku to his devices and emerged back into the club's empty room, the smell of stale cigarettes still tainting the air.

As usual, her encounter with Dajaku had left her angry and frustrated. Talking to him was like beating her head against a brick wall. But just like the wall, though incredibly stubborn, he always crumbled under her strength in the end.

She stomped up the stairs of the main stage, making her way inside the dressing room which was much cooler now that it was lit by a single overhead light rather than the dozens of hot bulbs around the makeup mirrors.

Kiss or no kiss from Kakashi, this day was shaping up to be a horrible one. Although he had taken her mind off of it for a while, she was still horribly worried about Miyabi and not knowing where she was or if she was safe put her on edge. That edge was sharpened by the fact that Dajaku seemed most upset about the loss of his profits rather than the woman's actual wellbeing.

Once this mission was over, she wondered if Kakashi would let her get away with punching their client in the face just once, although she doubted it.

The door to the second floor opened and closed as Tsurenai emerged onto the stairs. They were narrow enough that passing another person on them was a tight squeeze and Sakura really didn't feel like getting that close to the diva at the moment so she waited at the foot of the stairs, allowing her to pass.

She descended like a regal queen, her turquoise eyes cool and hard as she looked down at Sakura like she was some substandard subject. It was hard to feel like her equal when Tsurenai was lavishly dressed in a formfitting shirt that revealed entirely too much cleavage and was probably silk, though a great deal more tasteful than Dajaku's gaudy clothes. Sakura on the other hand was still dressed in her grungy clothes complete with holes and threadbare patches. It was like comparing rags to riches.

"Hello Tsurenai," Sakura said as she passed her, keeping her voice bland and holding no trace of the dislike she felt for the vain and arrogant woman.

Tsurenai said nothing but brushed past her, an act that hardly surprised the kunoichi, and though she almost preferred to be ignored by her, Sakura had a question she had to ask.

"You didn't happen to see Miyabi last night did you?" she asked, turning to look at the dancer's back.

Tsurenai paused in her steps before turning around slowly, and if Sakura had to name the expression on her face, she would have thought it to be almost…smug.

"I didn't see a thing," she smiled, although the wicked expression seemed to cloud her face rather than light it up. "I wasn't even downstairs since I took the night off."

Her words made Sakura think. Now that she mentioned it, she didn't remember seeing Tsurenai at all last night, although she had been a little distracted with everything going on.

"Why is that?" Sakura asked, unable to resist jabbing her a little even though she knew it was immature and unprofessional. "Can't stand dancing if you're not in the spotlight?"

The cruel smile was immediately wiped from her face and her aquamarine eyes grew colder, glittering dangerously under heavily mascarad lashes.

"I refuse to share the stage with an amateur like you," she said haughtily. "Dajaku was out of his goddamned mind for thinking you could ever replace me, even for a night."

Sakura wanted to roll her eyes. Calling this woman a diva was an understatement.

"Well princess, you'll be happy to know that you have your position back full time. I told Dajaku I didn't want to be the main attraction anymore."

Tsurenai looked at her strangely for a moment, as if she couldn't comprehend why anyone would want to give that up, but then her lips quirked into that condescending smile again as she took a few steps back toward the pink haired woman.

"What's the matter? Couldn't handle it?"

Sakura gritted her teeth. What did Tsurenai want to prove anyway? That she was a better dancer? That she was sexier and better liked by the men? Fine, Sakura would admit that. It wouldn't be a surprise to learn the audience preferred her raunchy and tasteless dancers to her own more discreet way of stripping. However, it wasn't in the kunoichi's nature to let such a remark just roll off her back.

"No," Sakura said coolly as she squared her shoulders in a subtle message that said she wasn't intimidated by Tsurenai in the least. "I just don't relish the thought of being advertised as the club's number one whore."

The diva's confident smile faltered a moment, but even when she quickly slid her mask of perfection back into place, anger burned in aquamarine eyes.

"Well, if you're looking to be second best, you're more than welcome to take it, especially since dear little Miyabi has gone missing."

Her voice was full of mock concern and Sakura visibly stiffened, cold rage filling her at Tsurenai's insinuation that not only did she not care that the elegant brunette had gone missing, but she actually seemed pleased with the recent turn of events.

"Do you know anything about what happened?" she said, fighting to keep her temper in check just in case the purple haired woman had any light to shed on the mystery. "Do you remember seeing her with anyone suspicious?"

Tsurenai laughed lightly, as if the whole situation was rather amusing.

"Is little Hana going to play detective?" she sneered. "That's precious. I don't know who she was with but my guess is she'll end up like all the other girls who have disappeared from here, gone without a trace."

Her voice had taken on a sing song quality, making light of a very serious situation and Sakura found it absolutely infuriating.

"If you ask me, she had it coming," she continued loftily. "The little bitch should have been more careful about who—"

The sentence was never finished because she was interrupted but Sakura's hand striking her in a forceful slap across her cheek, the sound seeming thunderous in the empty dressing room.

Tsurenai gasped, bringing a hand to her stinging skin, eyes wide with disbelief before they narrowed into angry slits.

"You bitch!" she hissed hatefully. "I have to perform tonight! What if this bruises?"

The superficial woman probably would have been horrified by the bruises and scars Sakura had seen in her lifetime and the kunoichi was glad she hadn't been so reckless as to put her full strength into that slap. Even though the arrogant woman had made her see red, she had enough sense not to hit her hard enough to fracture those high cheekbones the diva seemed to value so much.

"I'm sure your audience will be looking other places besides you face," Sakura seethed quietly, still enraged over how she had talked about Miyabi.

The two women glared at each other hatefully, Tsurenai still pressing a hand to her injured cheek.

"I won't forget this," she spat viciously.

"You'd be an idiot if you did," Sakura replied with equal rage. She knew full well she had just made life at the club harder for herself, because Tsurenai would no doubt go out of her way to make every day miserable from this point on. Well if she wanted to fight, she had better bring it on with everything she had because the little diva had just picked a fight with one of Konoha's most powerful kunoichi.

Sakura waited for her rival to retaliate but, to her surprise, the woman turned and stomped away, no longer quite as elegant and graceful in her spike heels. Sakura let out the breath she had been holding and slumped a little. She couldn't be sure that Tsurenai was completely unrelated to the kidnappings. Tsurenai had been a little jealous of her after all, but it was obvious she wasn't going to get a word out of her that could be helpful in completing her mission. Besides, she already knew who their target was. It was just a matter of finding him now, though Sakura doubted the purple haired woman would aid her in that aspect either.

She turned to go back up the stairs, her heart feeling a little heavier now that all her worries about Miyabi had returned, although surprisingly, there was a slight spring in her step.

She wondered if she was a bad person for getting so much pleasure out of slapping Tsurenai upside the head.

XXXXX

It was mid afternoon when the first fat raindrops began to fall, splashing onto the paved streets and making the oily roads slick and shiny.

Kakashi turned his head towards the sky and breathed deeply. The smell of rain was heavy, telling him the storm would only get worse.

He had been searching all over Fuzen Machi, asking around about a yellow eyed man who might have a pretty, young girl with him, but his efforts were proving to be as fruitless as the night before. If anybody had seen anything, they didn't want to talk about it, and Kakashi had no real evidence that anyone he questioned was actually withholding information, otherwise he would have resorted to more…resourceful ways of getting what he required.

He was currently standing on one of the city's taller buildings, overlooking the modern metropolis and trying to put himself in the mind of the kidnapper. With Rock to the North, Sand to the South and rogue territory to the East, where would the kidnapper go? Everything to the West was just sparse villages and ocean so he didn't think the culprit would go that way, but it was hard to be sure. It would help if Kakashi knew what village he was from or who he was working for. The more Kakashi thought about the situation, the more questions arose. He simply didn't know enough about the target and his intentions.

Just then a puff of smoke beside him interrupted his thoughts and he found Pakkun staring up at him with large, dark eyes. The canine looked slightly wet and bedraggled and Kakashi imagined he himself probably looked similar after standing in the rain.

"Any luck?" he asked, even though he could probably guess from his summon's weary expression what the answer would be.

The pug shook his head.

"We couldn't sniff out a trail. Her scent lingers around the club but doesn't seem to leave the area. We would have kept searching but now that the rain has started, it's probable that any lead there was has been washed away."

The Copy nin nodded stoically. Sakura would not be happy with the news.

"Very well. Tell the others to call off the hunt. We'll have to hope the kidnapper leads us to her location when we find him."

Pakkun dipped his head in understanding before poofing away and the burst of smoke he left quickly dissipated by the rain.

Kakashi sighed thoughtfully. This guy was certainly hard to track. He hadn't even found out his name. Their method of waiting for a lucky strike was not exactly the ideal strategy but so far, they had had little choice. Even with a definite target, they still hadn't been able to do more than wait around and he knew it had to be frustrating Sakura as much as it did him to be unable to take the offensive.

He slumped a little at the thought of his partner. She wouldn't be happy to hear the news but he had to tell her eventually. He ducked under the overhang that covered the entrance to the stairs that led back down into the building and pulled out his phone. His dexterous fingers typed out the message he didn't want to tell her in person.

Search called off because of rain. Still no luck. I'm sorry.

XXXXX

Sakura supposed her performance that night was a little substandard, but honestly, she couldn't bring herself to care. Her eyes kept drifting over to the empty pole where Miyabi would have been, where she would have been dancing gracefully in a hypnotizing display of long limbs and sensuous movements. She wondered if she would ever return to dance here again.

Tsurenai was back in the spotlight, and as Sakura had predicted, she had covered the subtle bruising on her face with makeup and the kunoichi figured she was the only one who noticed her foundation was a little heavier on one side.

Though the medic was no longer the star performer, it seemed she had accumulated quite a few loyal fans who crowded around her platform, cheering wildly enough so that when the time for Tsurenai's solo came, the crowd of slobbering men around the main stage seemed a little less dense, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the diva if the poisonous look she shot Sakura as she walked past was any indication.

Sakura remained unconcerned, dancing to the best of her ability as she desperately scanned the shifting crowds for the man responsible for Miyabi's disappearance. She could see Kakashi milling about the room, no longer remaining stationary at the bar but actively searching for their culprit as well. She didn't even accept any offers for private dances, much to both Dajaku's and her many adoring fan's dismay, but she was resolute in doing all she could to hunt down the kidnapper and save her friend.

However, after hours in the dimly lit room full of smoke and sweat and throbbing base, they were no closer in their search, even when the last of the patrons were ushered out, Kakashi with them, and Wet Dreams closed its doors for the night.

There was a heaviness that settled over all the dancers as they prepared for bed, for the grim reality that they were still very much in danger was all too clear. They were all worried about Miyabi, and scared that they could be next, for in a world where all you had were the handful of people you lived with, losing one was devastating.

Tsurenai retired early, claiming she was fatigued and Sakura couldn't help but wonder if she was planning some sort of counter attack to get revenge for what Sakura had done to her earlier. In the kunoichi's opinion, the diva and her petty resentment were the least of her worries. She was feeling empty, hollow and completely discouraged. Why couldn't she be of more use? Why couldn't she help these girls? Kakashi's earlier text message did little to sooth, considering he and his tracking dogs had been equally unsuccessful. Even now, the rain that had halted their search still poured down outside, drumming on the roof and windows in a steady torrent that showed no sign of letting up. It was weather fitting for her current mood; gloomy and dark.

She climbed into bed, Misaki following suit not long after, and desperately tried to fall asleep, to escape the pain and frustration for a while, but rest did not come and she lay awake while staring at the wooden boards of the bunk above her.

Her mind kept running around and around, searching for an answer to the accumulating vortex of questions and unknowns, but all she succeeded in doing was tiring herself mentally. Yet sleep still eluded her.

The recent development that their target was in fact a high level shinobi was a shocking one, but the worst part was Kakashi's assessment that her usual jutsu would not work. She would have to do it for real. Her hands fisted in the sheets at the thought of her first time being with someone she didn't know, someone that more likely than not, would handle her roughly, using her body merely to satisfy his own needs and treating her like the whore she was making herself out to be. It was enough to make her throat tighten and her eyes sting with tears that threatened to fall. But she had sworn off useless crying long ago, hardened by watching the first and only man she had cared so deeply for walk out of her life without a second thought.

Surely Yellow would notice her inexperience, and then what? Would her cover be blown? Or perhaps he would be adept enough to identify her chakra signature right away, no matter how well she kept it hidden, and see her for what she really was. Considering he was kidnapping women at the club and she, a high level kunoichi, suddenly appeared there soon after, it would be odd for him not to suspect her of being a hired shinobi sent to track him down.

The more she thought about her predicament, the closer she came to breaking down. She didn't want to lose her virginity to a stranger. She wanted it to be with someone she knew and loved and trusted, but she should have come to suspect that life seldom went how one wanted it to. She needed to talk to someone, and though Misaki was in the bunk above her, she knew she couldn't confess her fears to the petite blonde. They all assumed she was a seasoned seductress by now and telling them the truth meant telling them everything. There was only one person she could really talk about everything to.

She needed Kakashi and she needed him now.

Impulsively, she threw off her covers and began to pull on heavier clothes over her panties and T-shirt.

"Hana?"

Misaki's voice rang out in the dark. Sakura assumed the girl had been having a hard time sleeping as well.

"Hey," she said gently, offering a smile even though she knew she couldn't see it.

"Where are you going?"

Sakura paused, wondering how much she should say. It was too late for a clone and she didn't really have the energy to put into maintaining one anyway.

"I just need to be alone for awhile," she said, fibbing just a little and waited for the younger girl's pleas for her not to go.

To her surprise, Misaki answered, "Ok, just promise me you'll be careful."

Apparently Misaki understood that everyone needed to grieve in their own way, and Sakura suddenly felt guilty for deceiving her friend. She wasn't sure if the blonde assumed she was going downstairs or actually leaving the building but decided not to worry about it either way. She was going to see Kakashi now. She had to.

"I'll be careful," she assured, pulling on her heaviest sweatshirt and slipping into sneakers ratty with enough holes that her feet would probably get just as wet with them as they would without.

Nothing else was said as she crept out the door, silently passing through the common room and feeling a strange pain in her chest as she saw the couch where Miyabi would always sit in read in poised silence.

The light in Dajaku's office was off and Sakura assumed that he too had gone to bed earlier than usual. With all the skill she had acquired through ninja training, she silently turned the lock of the main doors and tiptoed outside into the rain before closing the door behind her, using her chakra to infiltrate the keyhole and turn the inner mechanism back into its locked position.

Neon lights still glowed, reflecting off the wet ground in distorted patches of bright color. The rain drowned out all other sound, but she could see several lights on in surrounding buildings. The rain couldn't quell Fuzen's bustling night life completely, but it seemed nobody was crazy enough to be out in the downpour but her.

She hurried through the empty streets, towards Kakashi's motel, praying that he would be there. In retrospect, she probably should have called him first to make sure he was home but it was a little late for that, considering she hadn't even brought her phone with her.

She trusted him completely, relying on him as a child and now, working together with him as an equal on this mission. He had taught her everything she knew regarding her life as a seductress, well…almost everything. The other girls and, of course, Kitsune's erotica had filled out the foundation he had laid for her. Now, the kunoichi was wondering if he would be willing to teach her one more very important lesson.

The thought formed in her mind so quickly that she didn't have time to dismiss it and before she could ponder on it much more, she was at Kakashi's motel but, without her phone, she had no way to contact him.

Rather than stand out in the rain and get wetter than she already was, she easily unlocked the rusty security gate and let herself into the drab hallway of concrete and peeling paint, knowing her way by now to the room that was Kakashi's.

She raised her hand to knock on the door, knowing for sure now that she was out of her goddamned mind for considering asking the question she was about to ask, but there seemed to be no other way out of this than to ask him for his help. If she had to lose it to someone, it might as well be Kakashi, for while she didn't love him, she trusted him and knew he cared for her as a fried and former student. Besides, he had more than proven he could make her feel good and she had been craving more of his touch ever since his first lesson in seduction all those months ago. She had never expected to be offering all of herself to him though. Even now, she couldn't believe she was going to ask this of him.

She knocked three times, firmly and a little urgently and waited for a reply, chewing her bottom lip nervously as she listened for any noise from within that would tell her he was there.

Nothing.

Sakura knocked again, louder and more insistent this time and after a long and almost unbearable pause, the door opened and there was Kakashi standing before her, looking quite comfortable in a form fitting T-shirt and sweats. His eye patch was missing but his mask was in its usual place, covering everything below the bridge of his nose.

"Sakura?" he asked, clearly perplexed as to why she had come to him in the wee hours of the morning, soaked to the bone and without any prior warning.

He held a kunai in his hand, apparently expecting someone a little less friendly to be at his door, but his mismatched eyes held worry as he took in her drenched form huddled on his doorstep.

"Hi," Sakura said a little sheepishly, realizing she must look like hell. She found herself wishing she looked more presentable while simultaneously wondering why she cared. This was Kakashi after all. He had seen her at her best and her worst and she was currently far from her worst, although she wasn't as pretty and primped as she had been a few hours earlier at the club. "Um…I need to talk to you."

Kakashi stood aside to let her enter but still looked at her curiously, even as he shut the door behind her.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he watched Sakura try to stand in the middle of his floor so as not to drip all over everything. "You're absolutely soaked."

Her clothes hung off of her, making her look even more petite than she actually was and for a moment, she seemed very vulnerable as big green eyes looked up at him.

"I've been thinking," she began hesitantly if she were afraid to say the words. "I…well I mean…you said in your text, that I would probably have to sleep with that guy for real right?"

Kakashi's shoulder's rounded a little at her words, making his slouch even more pronounced.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. We can't risk him seeing through your illusion. I'm sorry Sakura."

His voice was soft and sincere, his worried expression softening into something that was closer to sympathetic and almost sad. He obviously didn't want her to have to do it either.

"Here," he offered kindly, walking to the rickety dresser behind her to pull out a pair of sweats and a T-shirt for her in faded shades of gray. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes."

She took the clothes he offered, but made no move toward the bathroom to change.

"But I'm not experienced at all and it will show," she continued. "He can't be so dumb as to not notice that I'm a total amateur."

She was forcing her voice to stay strong when it threatened to waver. The fact that all their time here could prove useless just because she had chosen to save herself for someone special was enough to make her scream with frustration. If she had been more like Ino, fearlessly exploring the sexual realm back in Konoha, this wouldn't even be an issue.

"Yes," Kakashi said, nodding his head at her words. "It is indeed a dilemma. Can't you talk to the girls and get some tips?"

"They think I'm already a pro at having sex," she sighed. "Telling them otherwise would give my identity away so I can't go to them."

Kakashi nodded once again, crossing his arms and leaning back against the dresser. He stared at a spot on the carpet at his feet and seemed to be thinking deeply about their problem, but Sakura already had a solution in mind, even if she couldn't believe she was even considering it.

When she had thrown off the covers and decided to come here, this had not been her intention, but on her way over, the idea had formed and the more she thought about it, the more it seemed to be the only practical answer. She did not want to lose her virginity to a stranger and she couldn't let her inexperience show when the time came to do the deed.

Summoning her courage, she stood a little straighter, oblivious to the water that was still dripping from her hair and garments.

"Kakashi," she said, as resolutely as possibly, meeting his gaze as he looked up from the floor. "Can…I mean…will you…"

He looked at her expectantly as Sakura took a deep breath and tried again, forcing herself to speak the words that seemed so alien, and yet brought the brought the promise of something new and wonderful.

"Kakashi, I want you to sleep with me."

XXXXX

:Holds up hands in defense:

Please don't hurt me. I know you probably want to read the next chapter and just know I'll have it up as soon as I can. At least you didn't have to wait until Christmas for this one right?


	16. Chapter 16

Alright everyone, the new chapter is here at last. I'm sorry it took longer than usual but hopefully the content will make up for it.

I do not own Naruto. I do not make money from writing this story. This story contains mature content.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare-Chapter 16

"Kakashi, I want you to sleep with me," Sakura said, determined eyes conforming she was indeed serious about her request.

For a long moment he said nothing, his expression neutral as Sakura held her breath in anticipation. No matter how he replied, she knew her request had just changed everything between them, because even if he said no, there would be no way to pretend that she hadn't just asked him to take her virginity. She fervently hoped that the change in their relationship wouldn't be for the worse.

Agonizing moments ticked by and Sakura was beginning to wonder if he had heard her at all when he spoke softly.

"Sakura, you know I can't do that with you."

Her heart sank at his words, anxiety turning to disappointment. Her one feasible plan had failed and now she was left feeling foolish and a little hurt. She also had no idea how to tackle the problem of her still being rather inexperienced in all things sexual.

Trying not to let the hurt show on her face, she murmured two simple words, oblivious to the fact that her clothes were still soaking wet and she held a clean set in her hands.

"Why not?"

To say that Kakashi had been stunned by Sakura's request would have been an understatement, and it had taken him a moment to gather his wits. Here, she had given him a perfect excuse to live out his every fantasy about her, to take her in every position on every horizontal surface of his room, and he wanted so badly to give in. As tempting as she was, his sense of duty was still stronger than his lust and overrode the lech inside him, using all his willpower to turn her down in a stunning display of morality.

But then she had to go and give him that look; that wounded, vulnerable look like he had crushed her. And then she asked why not. Why not? There were a million reasons why they shouldn't sleep together, but for every point he came up with that told him he shouldn't, a dozen more filled his mind, telling him he should. However, he remained firm, shifting his focus to the ground as he spoke because he couldn't bring himself to continue gazing on her crestfallen expression.

"It's not right Sakura. Even if you have grown, you are still my student, and that's not the sort of thing teachers and students should do."

Sakura clasped hands together in front of her hard enough to turn the knuckles white, having to blink back tears. Why was he pushing her away when she had recently found herself face down on his bed with his fingers deep inside her? Why was it okay then and not now when she really needed him to show her, to teach her about the most intimate act a man and women could do together?

"But Kakashi," she whispered. "I need you to teach me. Can't you just give me one more lesson? The mission…I don't know if I can…"

He remained motionless, stoic and reticent in the dim light from the low wattage bulb burning in the room's single lamp.

"I'm sorry."

It just figured he would pick now of all times to be so stubborn. Was she really that undesirable? Even as the thought passed through her mind she knew it wasn't true. There was too much evidence that Kakashi was attracted to her, from the times she had given him lapdances to their recent massage session. She had seen the desire in his eyes when he watched her perform. He wanted her and she knew it, which made it all the more puzzling that he was refusing her now, puzzling and infuriating.

Her sadness at being turned down began to evaporate into anger as she thought of all the times he had initiated intimate moments that went well beyond his duties of this mission. Now that this assignment really did call for that kind of behavior, he was declining? It made no sense.

"But Kakashi, I can't complete this mission otherwise. I need you to be my first or we'll fail. That should be more important than any ethical code that stands back home."

Her voice was growing stronger as feelings of hurt were replaced by anger and Kakashi realized she was going to fight him on the issue. Why couldn't she just let it go? Couldn't she see he was trying so hard to control himself for her sake? He normally had incredible self restraint, but even he had his limits.

"I just can't, Sakura. Please understand."

Unfortunately, his partner wasn't really in the mood to be understanding.

"You expect me to understand? How the hell am I supposed to figure you out when just yesterday you were all over me on your bed? Now you're treating me like I have some sort of contagious disease."

Kakashi winced. He should have known she would bring that up.

"I was wrong to take things so far. I told you, I acted inappropriately and I apologize."

His voice was so cool and detached and it made Sakura want to scream in frustration. She took a step forward, not noticing she had saturated the carpet at her feet with rain water as her clothes continued to drip on to the floor.

"You want me Kakashi, I know you do. Why do you keep pushing me away?"

Still he would not look at her, afraid she would see how torn he was. He indeed wanted her badly and had obviously failed in hiding it, but he still refused to give in.

He was fourteen years older than her and well on his way to becoming an old man. She was still fresh and new, and even if this mission had forced her to dip her toes in the pool of sins of the flesh, she still retained a flicker of purity, an beautiful innocence that he was loathe to take away, especially under such conditions.

"Sakura," he said sincerely, staring at the wet patch of carpet at her feet. "You deserve better than me for your first time."

Now if was the kunoichi's turn to sit in stunned silence. She deserved better? Just where the fuck did he think she was going to find someone better in a place like this?

"So you think me losing it to a perfect stranger is better? Is that what I deserve?" she said angrily, voice rising loud enough to be heard by possible residents in adjacent rooms, although Kakashi doubted there was anyone else staying on this floor. The place was a shithole and nobody seemed dumb or desperate enough to stay there but him.

Her tone made him look up at last, finding her slightly flushed with anger, wet clothes still hanging off her and stringy pink hair shedding water droplets, but even in her disheveled state, she managed to look beautiful and her words struck a chord with him. If he didn't claim her first time, someone else would, someone who probably wouldn't be gentle like he would, who wouldn't put her pleasure over his own like he would, who wouldn't take the time to explore her body inch by inch and find all the secret places that made her cry out like he would. In Konoha, she may have been waiting for love before she gave her body away, but here she would have to give herself up regardless, and she was giving him the chance to make her first experience with sex a pleasant one.

"You always said you'd protect your team, Kakashi," Sakura seethed, her anger steadily building. "But now that I need you the most, you start in with your stupid morality. I thought you should know better than anyone that shinobi don't get happy endings. I realize that now and I know Sasuke will never come around. I can't wait for him forever and I'm asking you to help me god damn it!"

Her angry tirade was what Kakashi needed to hear. He knew of his student's lingering adoration for the Uchiha, even after everything he had done while away from the village. She was over him now, or at least wanted to be and when combined with the fact that their current mission really did depend on this, he found he had little choice.

But it was the choice he had been aching to make.

He gave a quiet nod, calm even in the face of her breathless rage.

"Alright Sakura, I'll do it."

"And furthermore, I'm sick and tired of…wait, you'll what?"

It took the kunoichi a moment to register his words, and even then she wasn't sure she had heard correctly.

"I'll be your first Sakura," Kakashi affirmed quietly, knowing he was a horrible person for loving the fact he was actually saying those words.

At first Sakura just stared at him blankly, rage evaporating instantly as the reality of what he had just agreed to sank in. He was going to sleep with her. Kakashi Hatake was going to be inside her. Oh dear god.

"Oh…um…ok."

She swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling very apprehensive about the whole thing. Is this where she started seducing him? It didn't seem right to treat him like a common customer from the club, but she didn't know any other way to display her sexuality. She supposed a good place to start was the removal of clothes since she wouldn't be needing them for what they were about to do.

Kakashi watched with an amused smile as Sakura turned jittery, transforming into a virginal bride nervous about the wedding night before his eyes. She tugged the heavy sweatshirt over her head, letting it drop with a wet plop to the floor before pulling off her soaked T-shirt as well. He discovered she wasn't wearing a bra as pert breasts were revealed, rosy nipples reddened and hard from the chill of the wet material that had been covering them. She kicked off her shoes and shimmied out of her pants, leaving her in nothing but a pair of simple white panties, and while they were devoid of any lacy adornments, Kakashi found them infinitely sexy.

"T-that's good," she laughed nervously, her voice sounding high and brittle even to her own ears as she began to babble while quickly stripping off her clothes. "Then let's get to it. I mean, there's no time like the present right? If you're going to do something, you should just do it without hesitation, not that I'm talking about being reckless but—"

She jumped slightly when his hand closed around her wrist just as she was going to slide her panties, which were only slightly damp from her trek through the rain, down her legs. She stared at him with wide eyes, her heart fluttering in her chest like a bird, a little skittish about this whole idea yet determined to go through with it. But why had Kakashi stopped her? Had he changed his mind?

Kakashi's lips tugged into a smile beneath his mask as he looked down at her, finding her adorably flustered but wanting to calm her down. She didn't need to be afraid while she was with him. He would give her the attention she deserved, worshipping her body as if it were the most holy of relics.

"If we're going to do this, we're going to do it right," he said softly, gently pulling her hand away from the waistband of her panties. "There's no rush. Just relax."

"O-ok," Sakura relented, letting him lead her over to the bed.

"Lie down," he instructed and she obeyed, seeming to remember she was nearly naked because she crossed her hands over her chest, hiding herself from him as a blush glowed on her cheeks. She was chewing her lip again and Kakashi was struck with the urge to occupy her mouth with other things…like his own.

She watched him as he sat next to her on the edge of the bed, feeling quite exposed when his eyes roved over her form appreciatively.

"So…now what?" she asked, resisting the urge to fidget.

"Well," he said thoughtfully, "I could start by kissing you. Would that be ok?"

Sakura nodded, unconsciously wetting her lips in anticipation. The act did not go unnoticed by the Copy nin and he had to tell himself to move slowly as he brought a hand to his face, pulling down his mask before half leaning over her body to press his lips to hers gently.

The last time they kissed, Kakashi had forced himself to remain passive, but now he was the one initiating the act and he intended to explore her mouth fully.

Sakura had to suppress a whimper as she felt warm lips descend on her. This was nothing like their kiss before, when she was the one in charge. She was no longer sure of herself, responding timidly to his kiss, which was hardly more than a caress of his lips against her own. It was warm and tender and left her aching for more, so when his tongue traced her bottom lip teasingly, she parted her lips and granted him entry.

The Copy nin hummed softly in approval, bringing a hand up to cup her jaw as his tongue began sweeping lazily over teeth and gums before stroking her own muscle smoothly. Her nervousness was evident as she tentatively kissed him back, no longer the bold seductress she had been when trying to coax him into a kiss before.

Her shyness betrayed her innocence and Kakashi found it strangely appealing. It proved that it was the true Sakura beneath him and not the character she played, and somehow that was far sexier than her nightly shows at the club. This was real, and he found that the absence of heavy eye makeup and scandalous lingerie only made his former student more alluring as her natural beauty shone through.

He pulled away for a moment, noting her eyes had turned a slightly darker shade of green as desire began to burn in the shimmering orbs. Her mouth was still parted slightly in a silent invitation for him to reclaim what he had left and he was more than happy to comply.

Wordlessly, he stripped off both his T-shirt and mask, casting them aside carelessly before moving to gently lay atop her, covering her smaller form with his. He planted his elbows on either side of her head to make sure he wouldn't crush her and wanted to growl at the wonderful feeling of her body heat and silky skin.

The exposure of Kakashi's torso elicited a strange pulse beneath Sakura's panties, like her body was calling for him. His skin was pale but taunt, stretched over sinewy muscles that flexed with every movement. He was beautiful, sculpted and defined and she wouldn't have minded admiring him a little longer, but then he was atop her, lips descending ever closer to hers.

He kissed her again and this time, she was bolder in her response, her tongue gliding along his as he drank in her exquisite taste.

The hands that had been so insistent about covering her chest finally fell away to allow his body to press closer, coming up instead to grip his shoulders lightly. Those fingers suddenly dug into bare skin when Kakashi drew her tongue into his mouth and began to suck it lightly, extracting a whine from the woman beneath him before she managed to silence herself. She was still shy about making noise, but even as she tried to remain quiet, soft whimpers and moans still made it past her lips, encouraging Kakashi further so he could hear more of those glorious sounds.

As delicious as her mouth was, he couldn't ignore his protesting lungs and pulled away to catch his breath. Sakura was watching him through hazy eyes, her own chest rising and falling more rapidly than before.

"Let me know if I'm going too fast," he murmured, admiring the flush that had spread down her slender neck, beckoning him to taste the skin there as well.

She nodded shyly before sucking in her breath sharply in a surprised gasp as his lips pressed to the pulse point on her throat. He nuzzled her tenderly, showering her with kisses that grew increasingly hungry, turning open-mouthed and hot. Her hands wandered over his shoulders restlessly, as if she didn't know what to do with herself, before finally fisting them in the sheets at her sides.

She was still incredibly nervous, wanting to act desirable and seductive but having no idea how to when with someone like Kakashi. His masterful lips were making her pulse flutter as pleasurable sensations raced through her body. He was only touching her neck and she was already feeling so good. It was a sensitive spot she hadn't even known she possessed, but her sensei found it easily.

She was still swallowing down the moans that threatened to surge up and spill past her lips, not wanting to appear wanton. To her own ears she sounded ridiculous and she was trying her best not to embarrass herself. She figured Kakashi must find her novice behavior unattractive as she proved herself to be every bit the child she had tried to grow out of. She had no idea that her inexperience was actually having the opposite effect, making Kakashi want her all the more.

Her skin was sweet and cool against his lips as he lapped up the lingering droplets of rainwater from her neck, making his way to her ear where he ran his tongue along the shell before drawing the sensitive lobe into his mouth.

He could feel her shiver against him and once again she muffled her sounds of pleasure, denying him that satisfaction of hearing her moan without inhibition.

"You don't have to hold back," he rasped, his hot breath washing over her skin and leaving her tingling. "Just let yourself react. I want to know if I'm making you feel good."

"But I don't know how to react," she replied, feeling like an idiot when Kakashi was obviously so much more knowledgeable than her. "I don't know what to do."

The man atop pulled away to look at her, a slight smile on his face that made Sakura feel even more mortified. He was laughing at her, she knew it, and she had to fight the urge to bury her blushing face in her hands.

"You don't have to do anything," he softly. "You're thinking too hard. Just relax."

Sakura shifted her eyes to the side, too embarrassed to look at him as she spoke.

"But I have to act all sexy and experienced, and I don't know how."

She began chewing her bottom lip again and Kakashi found the act combined with her shyness to be not only sexy, but rather cute as well. She was already appealing without any affectation, and he wanted her to be comfortable with him. It wouldn't do to have her feeling ashamed or humiliated.

"Sakura, look at me," he coaxed, and grudgingly, the kunoichi shifted her focus back to him.

He cupped her jaw with his hand, running his thumb along her lip tenderly as he spoke.

"Don't worry about acting right now. I don't want you to act; I want you to be you. Be Sakura for me, not Hana, okay?"

His affectionate words surprised her. She had expected their coupling to be like the heated frenzy it had quickly evolved into last time he had her on his bed, but he seemed to want to take his time with her, to treat her gently, lovingly. His kind words eased her trepidation just a little and she found herself nodding slightly into his hand.

"Ok, I'll try. I just feel stupid."

"You're not stupid," Kakashi assured. "But it's clear I'll have to distract you from over thinking things so much."

Before she could protest, his lips were on hers again, more demanding but just as gentle. His tongue easily found its way past parted lips to tangle with her own. One hand moved to her hip, fingers caressing lightly as he braced himself on his other elbow to keep his weight lifted off of her.

The sensation was delicious and Sakura begin to feel heat in the pit of her stomach, the same heat that Kakashi had taught her about when they had been traveling to Fuzen Machi. She knew it now as desire. Kakashi was turning her on with seemingly little effort. It was almost unfair that he was so good at this while she was so inexperienced but she couldn't really complain. True to his word, she began to think more about what he was doing to her rather than how she should be reacting to it.

The smallest of moans sounded low in the back of her throat and Kakashi smiled against her lips, breaking away to trail heated kisses down her neck. She was panting softly now, her breath having been stolen away by his passionate kiss. She was starting to relax and that's just what he wanted for her.

He scattered kisses over her collarbone, tongue occasionally tracing bony ridges until he came to the sweet mounds he had been longing to taste. He pulled back to admire them, observing coral pink nipples already hard from the cold rain outside, and could think of several desirable methods to warm them up.

Sakura watched him stare at her breasts reverently. Although she was used to having men ogle her body after putting it on display every night, Kakashi's up close appraisal was once again making her self conscious. Even though the men she interrogated had done the exact same thing, burying their faces in them or squeezing them in broad palms, it was different having someone she knew and trusted looking at her like that. He obviously liked what he saw, but that didn't stop her from trying to cover her chest with her hands again.

Kakashi caught her wrists easily, knowing what she intended to do.

"It's a little late to be hiding yourself from me, isn't it?" he smiled warmly, melting Sakura a little inside with that beautiful smile always kept hidden.

"Maybe," Sakura mumbled. "But you don't have to look at me so…closely."

"Yes I do," he rasped, releasing her hands in favor of cupping soft breasts gently, long fingers kneading the flesh while his head dipped to press a hot kiss to her sternum.

"Oh!" she gasped, arching into him reflexively as a new and wonderful heat flared inside. His hands seemed to make her forget about everything else, her hands fisting in the sheets tighter as delightful sensations flowed through her body.

She had acted so boldly while giving him a lapdance, driven on by the challenge of seducing him. But now he had taken over, dominating her, and Sakura couldn't help but submit, feeling vulnerable to a degree she would never allow with anyone else but him.

Kakashi's mouth watered for the flesh that felt so silky smooth in his hands. Unable to deny himself any more, he latched on to one pink bud and began to suckle gently, feeling the nipple distend even further in his mouth.

She cried out softly, hands leaving the bed to tangle in silver stands, pulling him close to her chest as she arched against his mouth. The feeling of him sucking sent electric pulses of pleasure down her spine, a sensation that was amplified when he started flicking her nipple with his tongue while continuing to caress its twin with a calloused hand.

She couldn't hold herself back any more, too caught up in the wonderful feeling. Soft murmurs and moans filled the air as she squirmed against the sheets, feeling Kakashi's sculpted body pin hers down as he switched breasts and began to lavish the other with equal attention.

He growled his approval against the soft mound, tongue swirling around her reddened nipple as she shivered and moaned. This is what he had been fantasizing about for weeks on end. This is what he had desired so many times on cold, lonely nights. He had craved her supple flesh for so long that, now that he had it, he was determined to taste every inch, to explore her head to toe over and over because he had this one and only chance to sample the forbidden fruit that was his former student.

He teased the sensitive bud with his teeth, nipping at it lightly and smiling when her moans grew a little louder. He let his mouth wander all over the sweet globes as if he meant to devour her, licking and suckling but always remaining gentle. Even if desire burned white hot in his loins, erection straining against his dark pants painfully, he didn't want to hurt her, not even for a second.

Sakura knew that she was making those stupid little noises again, but she couldn't help herself. Every suck on her hardened nipples made the heat between her legs throb like a burning, beating heart. She felt so hot and wet that she knew she had to be soaked by now. Never had another man at the club succeeded in making her feel this way, in coaxing her body into such a hormonal frenzy. Her clit pulsed in time with her pounding heart and she was almost tempted to worm a hand between her legs and rub the neglected pearl, but that would mean letting go of Kakashi's hair and she couldn't seem to make herself loosen her grip.

He cupped the silky mounds in his hands and pressed them together, letting his tongue dip into the cleavage he'd created. Her tiny mewls were driving him mad, and when he glanced up to watch her pretty face over the curve of her breast he found himself looking into hazy green orbs, her heated expression making his cock twitch erratically within his pants.

Her mouth formed a little pink 'O' as he drew her nipple into his mouth again, watching her face as he sucked rhythmically. She returned his gaze, watching with both fascination and desire as he suckled her skin until it was angry and red and certain to bear purple bruises by morning.

Kakashi could feel her shivering beneath him, thighs rubbing restlessly and hips tilting upwards as her body sought fulfillment. She probably wasn't aware she was doing it, but the undulating movement not only rubbed lightly against the shinobi's erection, but also alerted him that she was ready for his touch in other places.

Releasing her captive breast from his mouth with a wet pop, he shifted back up to claim her lips again, loving the feel of her moaning into his mouth as her fingers twined in his hair tightly. She was responding fervently now, as hungry for his mouth as he was for hers, and when they finally pulled away, they were both equally breathless.

"Sakura," he whispered, a broad hand slipping beneath her head to cradle it gently. "Let me finish what I started the other day."

For a moment, her lust clouded mind wasn't sure what he meant. All her nerve endings were burning; synapses firing as pulses of pleasure were transmitted, making it hard to process anything else. But then a warm hand fluttered across her bare stomach, fingers stroking around her navel and making her taunt muscles jump until they reached the waistband of her panties, skimming along their edge and waiting for her permission to dip beneath the cotton material to rub against skin.

He wanted to touch her there.

The memory of what it had felt like having his fingers inside her was still freshly imprinted. Every subtle movement of his finger had resulted in a pleasure unlike anything she had ever felt. Now she was so aroused, Sakura thought she might burst. There was nothing she wanted more than to be touched there by him.

"Yes," she murmured softly, mouth and mind still a little disoriented as his hand teased along the edge of her panties. "Please, Kakashi."

The Copy nin didn't need to hear anything else, rolling off of her and a little to the side so her could maneuver better. He propped himself on his elbow, hand still cradling her head as his hand slipped beneath her simple panties, fingers sliding over her skin like a blind man reading brail, like he meant to envision every part of her he touched. His eyes, however, were still fixed upon her face.

Her silky skin beneath his fingertips was heavenly, the flawless expanse stretching on and on until he finally came upon the small patch of hair she hadn't shaved away. It was coarse and wiry, but he still loved the feel of it, let his fingers brush over the trim curls repeatedly, noting that the lower he went, the damper the hair became.

Sakura whimpered, biting her lip softly as she once again felt self conscious about Kakashi watching her every response. His mismatched eyes looked down on her, drinking her up, and Sakura had to remind herself that he wasn't expecting anything of her. She didn't have to impress him with sultry words or actions, so she did her best to let her body react naturally to his touch.

Her thighs parted of their own accord when he reached her apex, fingers ghosting playfully along her hairless outer lips. The skin there was already slick with her desire and Kakashi groaned softly in awed need.

"You're already so wet. Your body is so responsive."

His words made Sakura's face bloom in a fresh blush and she tilted her head away, trying to escape his scrutiny, but before she could get far, his lips met hers and coaxed her back, tongue running over her trembling bottom lip as his hand continued to tease beneath her panties.

He broke the kiss, their lips just barely touching as he whispered, "You're so beautiful, Sakura."

Something within Sakura's chest clenched, although she wasn't sure whether the feeling was good or bad. She had always dreamed she would hear words like that the first time she made love, only they would be whispered by the man she had pined after for years. Never would she have guessed that it would be Kakashi saying those things to her as he explored her body with tongue and lips and fingers. A small part of her was grateful for his words, because, if she closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the compassionate tones of his voice, she could pretend for a little while that she was doing this with a man she loved, not because her mission required it. She wasn't imagining that he was Sasuke, but pretending that, in this moment, they were more than just teammates acting intimate for the sake of their mission, and with the way he was touching her, soft and gentle, it wasn't hard to do.

Kakashi's wandering digit made its way to the small, swollen button where smooth skin gave way to slick heat. He let his finger brush over it gently, delighting in how it made her shiver. She had been so wonderfully responsive last time he played with her clit and he was eager to repeat the experience.

With practiced skill, he began to rub circles around the tender pearl, watching her face intently as he pleasured her. Her eyes slid shut and a small mewl passed her lips, just as sweet as the sounds she had made last time he caressed her there.

He began to stroke, letting his calloused fingertip brush over her clit at a slow steady pace and was rewarded with a shuddering moan and the instant bucking her hips into his hand.

"Does that feel good, Sakura?"

She figured he just wanted to hear her talk, to confirm that he was skilled enough to reduce her to the quivering pile of goo she was now, because Sakura though it was pretty darn obvious that what he was doing felt divine. The slightest friction against her clit sent white hot pleasure along her spine and low in her belly, increasing the feeling of liquid heat and making the muscles of her womanhood contract pleasurably. Even though her reactions alone could have been enough of an answer, she responded with a shaky reply.

"Y-yes, Kakashi. More, please."

She hadn't intended on begging him to continue his exploration but the words had just come out, and when she cracked an eye open to find him looking down at her with an expression of pure desire, she figured he had no problems with her request.

He lowered his head enough to press a hot kiss to her jaw as his finger centered over her pearl and applied a gentle but steady pressure, making her quiver and moan beneath him.

"That's it, Sakura. Tell me what you want me to do to you. Tell me where you need to be touched."

His voice was so low and husky, and even though it was still familiar, it had never before resonated as so deliciously sexy. The sound of it alone was enough to make the muscles of her tight canal flutter, and the sensation reminded her of how good it had felt to have his finger stroking her there, sliding against the slippery inner walls of her sex.

Emerald eyes focused on orbs of black and red as she whispered, "Inside. Please touch me inside."

Kakashi's lips quirked into a smile at her words. She was so eager and needy, driven crazy by him rubbing her clit for only a few moments. He couldn't recall ever being with a woman so sensitive, but he also couldn't remember being with anyone this innocent. And yet, not one of his previous partners had managed to cast a spell on him quite like she had. Never had he wanted so badly to pay homage to a female body, to touch it and taste it wholly, completely, to watch every little response as if it were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Unable to hold back any longer, he abandoned her throbbing clit and slid his finger along her slit before pushing inside slowly, groaning as her body welcomed him with scorching heat and dripping moisture.

She gasped, her sweet mouth falling open in an expression of awed pleasure, green eyes losing focus as she was swept away by the sensation of his finger filling her. Her back arched reflexively, aiding him in pushing deep until his entire digit was inside her body.

She felt so fucking good, feminine muscles pulsing around him and holding him tight. With a an impassioned growl, he shifted to scatted kisses all over her face before pulling back to watch her expression as he began to move within her, pumping at a slow pace that soon had her moaning long and low, eyes shut against the pleasure that surged through her with every plunge of his fingers.

Sakura began to rock her hips shyly against his hand, perhaps in a motion that wasn't even conscious, but it betrayed her desire for more.

He pulled his finger out nearly all the way, and when he pushed back inside, his first finger was joined by a second.

Sakura responded immediately, crying out wantonly and clutching at his shoulders with pale hands. She trembled against him as he continued to pump, taking care to be gentle so her body could adjust to the new intrusion. She was moaning and whimpering incoherently as he cradled her vulnerable form, his hand still supporting her head while the other one twisted within her. Every time he crooked his fingers and made beckoning motions inside, she would let out a particularly passionate moan, head turning restlessly from side to side as her eyes closed, carried away on the pleasure he was giving her.

Her hips had resumed rising to meet his pistoning fingers, urging him to push into her a little faster. He could hear the wet sounds that accompanied every thrust into her body but her moans nearly drowned them out. Her inhibitions seemed to be gone as she gave into the carnal lust inside her, moving on instinct as he pleasured her body and introduced her to a world she previously hadn't known.

Her feminine scent was surrounded them, filling his nostrils like exotic incense. She was musky and sweet and the scent alone was enough to make him mad with lust. His mouth watered for her and he tried to satiate his hunger by claiming her mouth in another kiss, swallowing up her moans as his fingers moved relentlessly.

Sakura's mind had ceased processing all rational thought, wholly focused now on simply feeling what Kakashi was doing to her. She was no longer aware of the sounds she was making or the way she was clinging to Kakashi so desperately. She didn't even notice her hips rocking in a sensuous grind against her lover's hand. All she knew was that she had never felt so good and Kakashi hadn't used anything but his fingers. The feeling only got better when he added another finger, stretching her tight opening in a way that only added to the pleasure. Her eyes opened as she cried out, feeling even fuller than she had been before. He was still watching her closely, but she couldn't bring herself to care so much anymore, not when he was making her feel so amazing.

Kakashi could feel her flex around his digits as he dipped another finger into her liquid heat, marveling at her tightness and the way she so obviously enjoyed it, moaning at the sensation even though she had never been filled like this before. It appeared he wouldn't have to worry about hurting her when he joined their bodies, for she seemed to thrive on being stretched and filled to the brim.

Her plentiful juices had started to drip from her opening to run down her thighs and coat Kakashi's hand. The enticing aroma made him crave more than just the taste and texture of her mouth. He wanted to sample her sweetest place and drink up the juices currently soaking into the motel bedspread.

Gently, he pulled his digits free, noting how her body clamped around him in protest as he withdrew.

"K-Kakashi, no…" Sakura whimpered, her body still on fire and so close to release that to stop now would certainly drive her mad.

"Shh," he soothed, shifting to straddle her hips as he slid his hand from under her head and brought the fingers that had just been inside her to his lips.

She watched with wide eyes as he sucked each digit clean of her desire, seeming to savor it more than he would a fine wine or gourmet chocolate. Sakura's inner muscles clenched at the sight of his agile pink tongue lapping between his fingers to catch every bit of her juices, his eyes locked with hers the whole time in a sultry gaze. He seemed to think she was absolutely delectable, and while the thought was quite erotic, she was a little squeamish about him licking up anything that had come from that part of her.

"You're delicious," he rasped seductively, making Sakura's stomach flip-flop as heat washed over her.

His lowered his body onto hers, head descending, and she thought he meant to kiss her again but instead, his lips moved to linger next to her ear, so close she could feel them brushing the lobe as he spoke.

"I want to taste more."

Without waiting for a response, he began to kiss his way down her body, lips gliding over her collarbone and between sensitized breasts on a path that could only lead him to one place.

"B-but not there, not with your tongue," the kunoichi stammered breathlessly as Kakashi placed hot, opened-mouthed kisses around her navel.

Kakashi glanced up at her, giving her a sexy smirk that threatened to melt her right on the spot.

"Didn't I tell you that if we did this, we were going to do it right?"

Sakura was not convinced.

"But it's dirty there," she protested.

The silver haired man seemed unfazed, holding her gaze as his dipped his head to breathe against her skin.

"I'll be the judge of that."

She watched, mystified and incredibly aroused as he focused once again on her body, letting his tongue trace over protruding hip bones before kissing down to nuzzle his nose in the small patch of pink hair that covered her mound.

"W-wait, Kakashi," she panted, her shyness returning as she tried to scramble backwards on the bed. He couldn't taste her there. It was no place for the human mouth to be. What if he found her disgusting and wanted to stop? She would die of both mortification and unfulfilled need. It would be easier if he just took off his pants so he could—

"Oh no you don't," he chuckled darkly, slipping hands under her rear and jerking her back towards him, smirking at her squeak as she found herself on her back with his hands spreading her thighs wide.

Kakashi was not about to let her escape, not when he was so close to tasting the fruit he had fantasized about for so long. He slung her legs over his shoulders as his hands squeezed the firm flesh of her thighs, admiring the beautiful sight of Sakura's delicate flower, slick and pink and absolutely mouth watering.

"Kakashi?" Sakura whimpered again, her voice holding traces of that initial shyness and uncertainty.

"Just relax, Sakura. I think you're going to like this," he assured, peering at her over the curve of her hipbone. She was flushed and glowing with a light layer of sweat, long pink hair falling in messy waves across the white pillow. She looked ravished and flustered and so sexy that Kakashi could hardly believe she was the same girl he had met when she was twelve years old. She was trusting him and it wouldn't do to have her still feeling anxious, although he had a feeling the moment he touched his tongue to her, she would forget all about her embarrassment.

She watched breathlessly as his head disappeared between her legs and trembled when she felt him blow a puff of air over her exposed sex. She couldn't believe she was letting him do this. This seemed sinfully dirty, but at the same time, she shivered with anticipation, wondering what he would do next.

And then she felt it, a warm, wet slide of a flexible muscle along her slit as his tongue began to explore her most intimate place. She cried out in surprise as the electric jolts of raw pleasure searing her nerve endings coincided with his ministrations, the muscles of her womb clenching hard inside of her.

His hands slid higher on her thighs so his thumbs could open up her outer lips, exposing her sweet hole and allowing him to see just how wet she was. Her clit was red and swollen after all his teasing and moisture slowly leaked from her entrance. She was absolutely beautiful, hypnotizing him with the sight of those velvety feminine folds.

He began to lap at her center, pushing his tongue into every crevice as he drank in her nectar, loving how her thighs jerked and spasmed as her moans filled the room, wilder and more passionate than they had been before. He had been right in guessing that her self consciousness would flee once he slipped his tongue inside her.

He plunged his tongue into her as deep as he could, swirling it around the tight channel and feeling her flex around his invading muscle. He was drunk on her exquisite taste and smell, loving the feeling of arousal-slicked flesh against his tongue. He just couldn't get enough and he began to suck and slurp at her as if he meant to eat her alive.

"Oh Kakashi, ah…ahh!

His tongue was even more amazing than his fingers, doing all sorts of wickedly wonderful things. She could feel the limber muscle slipping in and out of her and found herself liking it, loving it as she called his name in awed rapture, amazed that feeling like this was even possible. So this was what all of Kitsune's books had been talking about.

Kakashi abandoned her juicy center, focusing his attention on her swollen clit and let his tongue tap over the slick pearl teasing it, circling it, slicking over it, and reveling in every moan, whimper and cry that escaped her lips.

Sakura's hands returned to his hair, unconsciously pressing on his head as she raised her hips, trying to press him further against her and increase the contact. She could barely breathe, gulping in air in shuddering sobs as he feasted on her sensitive flesh.

Something was coiling tight in her stomach, something that had started within her so many times whenever she tried touching herself or in one of the many unfinished encounters with Kakashi. It felt like a ball of pressure, or a spring coiled too tight, just waiting to burst in what was sure to be a nearly agonizing wave of searing pleasure.

Kakashi chuckled at her zeal when he felt her hands tugging in his hair as her hips bucked against his lips. She was acting hungry and wild and not at all like the virgin he knew she was, but that was why he loved this. He had brought out the sexual being that resided in her and only wanted to further its development.

He closed his lips around her clit and applied a soft suction, immediately extracting a cry that quickly spiraled into a wail as he sucked harder, feeling her arch and buck beneath him. He pulled away, keeping his mouth latched hungrily onto her clit, increasing the section until it finally left his lips with a wet pop, the bundle of nerves left angry and red by his actions. Kakashi repeated the process, sucking and nibbling and doing everything he could to make sure she was crying and thrashing in ecstasy.

Sakura's virgin body finally couldn't take it any more as his lips closed around her once more and his tongue began to tap syncopated rhythms against her clit. Colors flashed before her eyes as the ball of light in her belly burst, exploding like a nebula and blinding her with flashing of white hot pleasure. She could hear a voice somewhere chanting Kakashi's name over and over but couldn't make the connection that it was her own. Her nipples, her clit, even her fingers and toes and everywhere in between were charged with electric energy that carried the most incredible sensations she had ever experienced, and for a few moments, she was floating, falling, flailing outside of her body as the pleasure carried her away to a place she had never been.

It was easy for Kakashi to tell when his lover reached her peak. Her whole body went rigid as she arched, fingers digging into his scalp as she called his name urgently, desperately, body strung taught as the pleasure flowed through her.

He sucked at her until she collapsed, breathless and spent, sitting up to wipe his mouth with back of his hand carelessly before covering her nude form with his own body, feeling her pulse race as she tried to catch her breath.

When it was over, she couldn't even bring herself to move, feeling more drained and boneless than she had ever felt after a full day of training. Even opening her eyes seemed like a monumental task, and so she lay in the darkness for a moment as she drifted back to full consciousness, aware of the comforting weight of Kakashi's body atop hers and the scattering of warm kisses over her shoulders and neck.

Her eyes opened at last, her movements sluggish and lazy as she basked in the afterglow. Kakashi was nuzzling the tender spot of her neck just behind her ear, causing her to let out a contented sigh as she moved to wrap her arms around him, enjoying the firmness of his muscular back beneath her fingertips.

"So, was your first orgasm worthy of all the hype?" he chuckled, kissing his way up to her mouth to nibble at her bottom lip playfully.

"Mmm hmm," Sakura smiled, running her tongue over the place Kakashi had just kissed to discover traces of her own juices and finding she didn't taste that bad after all. "If that's what it's like with just your tongue, I can wait to feel what it's like when you're actually inside me."

Kakashi's cock throbbed at her words. He too wanted very badly to be wedged inside her tight body, but he had to be sure this was what she really wanted. He would never forgive himself if he discovered she had changed her mind and lacked the courage to tell him so.

"Sakura," he said, expression growing serious as he hovered above her. "Are you sure this is what you want? It's not too late for us to stop if you're having second thoughts. I won't be angry."

Sakura threaded her fingers through Kakashi's hair and guided him down for another kiss, strangely curious about the flavor he had left on her lips and wanting to have another taste. Their kiss was long and passionate, and soon the heat was building inside of her again, that tingling throb between her legs that begged to be satisfied.

"Don't you dare back out on me Kakashi," she murmured against his lips. "I know for sure this is what I want."

Deep down, the Copy nin was thankful for her answer. If she had stopped things where they were, he just might have died if he had to once again resort to his own hand to finish the job.

"All right," he rasped, pulling back to brush a stray piece of hair from her eyes. He sat back on his knees and began to slide his sweats down over his hips, freeing his erection before kicking the material off his legs completely. He disrobed so quickly that Sakura didn't get a good look at his anatomy before he was already hovering over her again, hands coaxing her thighs apart so he could settle between them. She would have liked to touch him, to explore his body as he had explored hers and perhaps discover additional ways to please a man to add to what she had already learned. However, when she felt something hot and hard press against her opening, she no longer wanted to delay the moment of their union any longer.

Kakashi sucked in his breath as he felt her slickness against his shaft. Heat was radiating from her core, washing over him and he had to remind himself that he must be gentle with her because this was her first time.

He was just about to push forward when he realized that in his lusty haze, he hadn't given a thought to protection.

"Fuck," he hissed, pulling back and meeting Sakura's questioning gaze. "I don't have any condoms with me."

"So?" she asked, not bothered at all by his statement.

"So?" he repeated incredulously to her remark. "That means we can't do this, Sakura. I can't risk getting you pregnant."

He was expecting her to be disappointed, or maybe even angry, but she just smiled at him.

"Kakashi, you're forgetting that I'm a medic."

"What does that have to do with it?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. For being an elite shinobi, he was acting awfully dense.

"It has everything to do with it. I have control over almost everything in my body, including my ovaries. I haven't had my period since leaving Konoha. I've been delaying it until we get home."

Kakashi's dismayed expression turned awed as he looked at her in fascination.

"You can do that?"

"Most high level medics can," she giggled.

"Then it's not a problem?"

"Not at all."

Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief and was once again moving to align himself with her entrance, rubbing the head of his cock against her lips to coat himself in her juices.

Sakura moaned softly as he brushed over her clit, stoking the fire of her arousal and making her even hotter for him.

"Are you ready?" he whispered peering down at her face. She was biting her lip again and looking a little nervous, but she nodded her reply, signaling she wanted him to continue.

He took her hands in his, intertwining their fingers as he leaned forward, pinning her hands to either side of her head, their faces only a few inches apart.

"Tell me if it's too much and I'll slow down," he said softly, staring into luminous green eyes.

"Ok," was her whispered reply, squeezing the hands held in hers as he began to push his hips forward.

Sakura's eyes never left Kakashi's as she felt her body open up for him, felt his hardness sink slowly inside of her and push deeper, deeper, stretching her in a way she had never experienced. Her kiss-swollen lips parted in a breathy moan as he filled her. There was no pain, just the new and strange sensation of being so full, like an emptiness she hadn't even known about was made whole by him. So this was what it felt to be as physically close to another human as possible. Kakashi was inside of her, housed in her most intimate place, and she found herself incredibly grateful she was experiencing this for the first time with him and not a perfect stranger.

A soft growl that bordered on a moan sounded low in the back of Kakashi's throat as he eased inside her. She was so slick from their previous activities that he slid easily into her body, only to be gripped fiercely by feminine muscles and drawn deeper into her welcoming paradise. She was incredibly tight, just as he knew she'd be, and the blazing heat and plentiful moisture inside her felt so good against his shaft that his body wanted nothing more than to pound in and out of her until he was satisfied. His mind, however, was more concerned with Sakura's experience, and he watched her expression change from nervousness to pleasured wonderment as he slipped past her outer lips and into her womb.

"Are you ok?" he whispered breathlessly, noting how tightly she was squeezing his hands. "Does it hurt?"

"No," she panted back, reassuring him with a timid smile. "It just feels…weird."

"It will feel better than weird. I promise," he smiled back before dipping his head to taste her pink lips once more. She deepened the kiss, drawing his tongue into her mouth at the moment Kakashi pulled back and pushed his hips forward once more, making her cry out against his lips.

He pumped into her, shallow and slow, ravaging her mouth while keeping her hands pinned by her head. Every forward thrust extracted a soft moan from her which he swallowed up with his demanding kiss. Her legs came up to lock around his waist, ankles crossed at the small of his back as he groaned at the exquisite feeling of her virgin body.

Finally, his lungs needed air more than his mouth needed hers, and he broke the kiss to gaze down at her, never stopping the steady rhythm of his hips. She was panting hard, breath punctuated by a soft moan with every thrust. Her own pelvis was lifting to meet his and her firm breasts were jiggling captivatingly every time he pushed into her. He was struck with the desire to really make them bounce by driving into her harder but he wanted to take things slow and make sure this was as good for her as it was for him.

He bent down to capture one hardened nipple in his mouth, sucking it hard and delighting in her breathless moan as she arched up against him, hips bucking to meet his a little more fervently.

He sucked at the bud until it was swollen and red before giving similar attention to its twin. Sakura's moans and grown louder and less inhibited as she was swept away by the sensation of his thick shaft sliding inside of her, stretching her, claiming her, but just when she felt he was going to touch a magical place inside her, he retreated and she longed for him to push deeper inside.

"More," she whimpered softly, a little embarrassed to make such a wanton request, but her breathless plea seemed to arouse her partner further, for he released her breast and gazed at her with lust-darkened eyes.

"What do you want?" he asked, voice raspy and low as he paused momentarily in his ministrations, her body burning with need and clenching around him, trying to urge him to continue.

"I want you…deeper," she mumbled, turning her face away in shame. Kakashi knew the real her and she didn't want him to think she was suddenly some dirty harlot. But instead of sneering or laughing at her, he released her hands, one bracing himself on his elbow as the other one trailed down her stomach to the place they were joined.

"You don't have to be so shy," he whispered against her cheek since her face was still turned away. "Just tell me what you want, baby. I'll do anything for you."

Sakura's heart fluttered at the pet name, but she didn't have time to dwell on it because the hand between them found her clit and began to rub teasing circles over it as his hips resumed their thrusting, driving deeper than before.

She cried out as liquid fire suddenly rushed in her veins and pleasure sang through her. Her hands fisted in the sheets by her head, desperate to hold on to something as he touched new places inside of her.

"Is that good?" he breathed against her ear, the smirk on his lips audible in his voice.

"Oh god," she whimpered, turning her face back to him, eyes squeezed shut and mouth hanging open.

Kakashi decided to take that as a yes.

She was so beautiful, spread out for him like this. Her body rippled around him and it felt like she was growing even wetter thanks to the hand teasing the bud above where he was wedged within, and she began to buck up against him again, hips moving without her permission. He didn't have enough leverage with only one hand holding his weight so he withdrew from her swollen clit to brace himself on both elbows, thrusting hard and deep into her, but still slow and steady.

Sakura moaned her approval at the deeper penetration, cracking open hazy eyes to watch him hovering above her. Her mind was in a daze, thought processes overridden by the acute sensations seeming to reverberate in her very soul. She had figured Kakashi would be good in bed but she never thought it would be like this. The pleasure went so much deeper than just her skin; it was in the very marrow of her being and she couldn't imagine being without him after all this was over. She was now aware of an emptiness inside her that he had filled with his physical body as well as an emotional connectivity. She was wanted, now in this moment, in a way nobody close to her had ever wanted her before, and the feeling was gloriously overwhelming. She never wanted this moment to end.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed him against her, pressing his sculpted torso against her bare chest. The feel of him inside her was like nothing she had experienced before, so deep and intimate, and even his deep thrusting wasn't enough. Her hands began to wander his scarred back restlessly, fingers exploring pale skin and smearing the droplets of sweat formed there until they found his hips and settled on the toned expanse of his ass. The hard muscle flexed enticingly as he moved and she was so caught up was she in the moment that she grabbed a firm cheek in each hand, trying to press him more fully into herself as she arched up to meet him.

Kakashi made a low, primal sound in his throat, incredibly turned on by her eagerness. Her hands were urging him to move faster and so he complied, picking up the speed of his thrusts and groaning as her liquid heat squeezed him harder.

"That's it Sakura," he encouraged, speaking loud enough to make himself heard over the sound of flesh slapping against flesh.

"Harder," she panted, the hot ball of desire burning unbearably in her belly. She could feel that she was close to another release but not quite there yet, and she needed more of him to reach her brink.

And then he was sliding away, his body leaving hers and Sakura gave a frustrated moan, thinking he was abandoning her. But then she felt broad hands prying her legs apart and spreading her thighs wide until her limbs dangled in the air helplessly with Kakashi kneeling in front of her, still lodged inside her deeply.

This new position allowed the Copy nin to watch her tight hole swallow up his member and he gazed transfixed as he gave a few shallow thrusts.

"I wish you could see yourself," he whispered reverently, eyes traveling the length of her body to her flushed face before returning to the beautiful sight of her womanhood stretched around him. "You're so pink and wet and beautiful."

If Sakura hadn't been aroused to the point of near insanity, she would have found his words mortifying, but as it was, she just wriggled her hips restlessly in an unvoiced plea for him to move, making Kakashi moan heatedly as the movement made her body squeeze him with a fresh wave of muscle contractions.

Gripping a toned thigh in each hand, he began to rock his pelvis back and forth, rapidly picking up the tempo until he was drilling into her as fast as he could. Sakura went wild beneath him, writhing and arching and moaning in a way that made it hard to believe she had been a virgin until just a few moments ago. She was so sexy, so feminine and beautiful. He knew she was strong enough to knock him through the wall if she wanted to but the fact she was flat on her back beneath him, letting him dominate her like this was an aphrodisiac in itself. He watched her writhe, mismatched eyes glazed with lust, taking in her firm body glowing with sweat, her bouncing breasts, her pretty face contorted in an expression of pure ecstasy.

"Fuck," he breathed, hardly aware that the word had left his mouth, so entranced was he by the look and smell and feel of her.

The second Kakashi started slamming into her, Sakura thought she was going to die.

Vaginal muscled contracted sharply, squeezing ever tighter in pleasure so intense, it practically scalded her nerve endings. Everything around her became a blur except Kakashi, his hard body working as his hips pumped forward into her with frightening force, jarring her whole body deliciously. Sweat was running down his chest and abdomen, his hair messy and disheveled while his jaw was set in a grimace of pleasure. He was so damn sexy. If she could only have known that a sex god resided under that infernal mask of his, she would have abandoned Sasuke's fanclub immediately in favor of her sensei's.

She thought she heard Kakashi whisper something but se couldn't be sure, for he surged forward harder and deeper, rubbing a spot in her that finally released the burning star in her belly, making it explode into a supernova that sent an entire rainbow of colors across her vision.

"Ah! Ahhhh! Kakashiiiii!"

She couldn't have stopped herself from screaming if she tried, her orgasm ripping away all rational thought as it threatened to tear her apart. She could feel her womanhood pulsing around the cock deep inside her, muscles trying to milk the orgasm out of him and claim his seed. The fire in her veins turned to blinding light, blotting out her vision and racing through her at top speed only to bounce back and reverberate in her nipples, her clit, her womb, making her dizzy as her senses were overloaded.

Kakashi let out his breath as if someone had punched him in the gut, the sudden vice-like grip of her womanhood literally knocking the wind out of him. He released her legs to grab her shoulders and pin her to the bed, holding her down as she convulsed violently, her pleasured expression so sweet that he would be burned vividly into his mind the rest of his life. He managed a few more thrusts, before burying his face in the crook of her shoulder and let his own release wash over him, spilling himself into Sakura's womb. He groaned long and low as he felt weeks of sexual tension leave him all at once, pleasure flowing through him and leaving him so drained, exhausted and wonderfully satisfied that he collapsed on top of his lover, face buried in the pillow her head rested on with his softening manhood still inside her.

Slowly, Sakura drifted down from her high, becoming aware that Kakashi was lying on top of her heavily, chest expanding and contracting against hers as they both tried to catch their breath. Her whole body tingled with the aftermath of her orgasm, her endorphin level so high that she was almost delirious, her mind and body wrapped in a warm fuzziness that thrummed pleasantly through her body.

She managed to slide her arms out from under Kakashi's body and wrap them around his shoulders, hands coming to rest in his hair where they played with the sweaty silver strands idly.

For a moment, there was no sound in the room but the soft panting of their breathing gradually returning to a more normal rate. Kakashi finally found the strength to move, rolling to the side a little to take his weight off her as he propped himself up on one elbow.

Sakura was looking up at him shyly, but with a dreamy smile on her face.

"Wow," she murmured, looking as satisfied as he felt.

"Wow indeed," he replied, brushing away a strand of damp, pink hair stuck to her forehead before kissing her lazily, the meeting of their lips drunken and slow.

When they parted, Sakura snuggled further into her pillow like a sleepy kitten, her satisfied smile having yet to go away.

"So that's what sex is like?" she murmured dreamily. "Why the hell didn't I do it sooner?"

Kakashi chuckled, nuzzling the junction of her shoulder. He wondered why it felt so right to be lying here with his former student in post coital bliss when he knew what they had just done was terribly wrong…even if the mission did call for it.

"It was quite amazing wasn't it?" he mumbled against her skin, trying to remember if he had ever had sex quite this good. He couldn't recall a time when he had.

There was a pause as the weight of her future task returned to the kunoichi. Sure, sex with Kakashi had been wonderfully mind blowing, but the harsh reality was that she would have to do this with someone else very soon, someone who wouldn't take the time to pleasure her as her ex- sensei had, someone quite dangerous.

"Kakashi," she whispered. "How the hell am I going to do this with the kidnapper? I…I don't know if I can do it."

Though her voice was soft, it held a tinge of fear, a quiet desperation that cut through the sleepy satisfied fog in Kakashi's mind.

He raised his head from the crook of her neck, finding her luminous eyes full of uncertainty. It wasn't uncommon for kunoichi to use their bodies on a mission, but Sakura hadn't had any training for it besides the rushed and inadequate lessons he had given her on the way to Fuzen Machi. It wasn't fair at all to put her in this position and he wished there was some other way around it, but he had yet to come up with a solution that would spare her from sleeping with their enemy.

"You can do it Sakura," encouraged, trying to ease her worries as he hovered above her, but even as he said it, his chest clenched at the thought of her moaning for anybody else the way she had for him when he touched her. "You just have to detach your mind from your body. It won't be with him like it was with me. You have to remember it's just business but put on an act to make him believe that it's real."

Sakura's eyes searched his own, seeming to find comfort in those red and black depths because he felt her relax a little beneath him.

"I know," she whispered. "It's just…I wish I didn't have to."

He kissed her again, trying to chase away all of her fear and doubt.

"I wish you didn't have to either," he whispered against his lips, wondering if she knew how sincere those words were.

He pulled her close, pressing soft kisses to her temple, loving the feeling of her soft body molded to his, but he knew this blissful sin couldn't last.

"Dajaku and the girls will get curious if you stay too long," he said, hating that he was making her go when all he wanted to do was hold her through the night.

"I told Misaki I needed to be alone for a while. I don't think it will matter if I stay here for the night," she replied, making no move to get dressed.

"Are you sure?" he asked, pulling back once against to regard her face.

He knew she was strong woman, with a will that was tougher to bend than many people he knew, but right now she was hurting and vulnerable. One of her friends had disappeared and could even be dead, and he had failed Sakura in hunting her down and bringing her home. She had just given him her body in the most intimate way, and was probably tangled in a web of conflicting feelings considering sex, especially the first time, was quite an emotional thing for a woman. He wanted to comfort her, to be there for her in a way that nobody else could, for while he wondered if maybe a female companion may understand her situation better, he was the only one that knew her true identity and the mission that she had been sent to accomplish.

Apparently she felt the same way, because she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.

"Please let me stay," she whispered. "I don't want to be alone tonight."

Kakashi didn't need to be convinced any further. Without a word, he rolled onto his side, taking her with him so she was tucked securely against his chest, strong arms surrounding her in a protective cocoon. He only wished he could do more to spare her from the world's cruelties, even if as a kunoichi, she was destined to face them.

She snuggled against him, fitting into his arms so perfectly he wondered briefly if she truly did belong there, but then his common sense won out and he remembered that this was only for tonight, that it didn't mean anything, that she had just needed someone to introduce her to sex and he had happened to be the most fitting candidate. Even so, he didn't want to let her go.

"Kakashi," she murmured softly, already halfway asleep. "Thank you."

He wasn't sure how long they lay in silence, her breath slowing and evening out, telling him she had succumbed to sleep. The low wattage lamp was still on but he had no intention of disturbing the woman in his arms to turn it off.

He rested his chin on the top of her head, inhaling her sweet fragrance and wondered how the hell he was going to go back to not being able to touch her after this night, but at least she had allowed him one chance to fulfill his dark fantasies, to taste her sweet lips and skin and show her pleasure in a way she had never felt before.

Even though she couldn't hear it, he replied to her last spoken words, murmuring softly against her hair.

"No Sakura, I'm the one that should be thanking you."

XXXXX

Tsunade drummed her fingers on the polished surface of her wooden desk. She had just sifted through the bundle of letters and scrolls delivered by mail from places outside the village and still there was no word from Sakura or Kakashi.

She knew the mission would be quite an eye opener for her apprentice, but she hadn't expected the mission to take this long. Their prolonged absence must mean some sort of complication, but she wondered why Kakashi or Sakura hadn't written her about it. Perhaps they hadn't had a chance to send a letter without compromising their undercover identities, but even that explanation did little to ease the knot of worry that had formed in her stomach.

Just then, her office door burst open and a cacophony of orange and black barged in.

"Tsunade Ba-chan!" the rambunctious ninja exclaimed eagerly. "Any word from Sakura?"

The busty woman behind the desk glared at the Kyuubi container. His timing was impeccable as always, dropping by unannounced or without so much as a knock on her door.

"Naruto, how many times have a told you not to come flying in without knocking or—"

The younger shinobi's face fell.

"So that's a no then?"

"Yes Naruto, it's a 'no.'"

He pouted a moment, looking much more boyish with such a childish expression on his face before blue eyes widened.

"What if she's in trouble? Maybe something happened to her or Kakashi-sensei and they need backup!"

"Naruto, you're jumping to conclusions," the Hokage sighed, even though his words echoed the thoughts she had just been having before he came tearing into her office.

"But—" he started again but Tsunade held up her hand, silencing him.

"Let's give it another week and if we still don't hear from them, I'll send the rest of Team Seven to Fuzen Machi to investigate. Deal?"

"All of Team Seven? Baa-chan, that means I'm going to have to listen to Sai and Sasuke argue the whole way there," he whined.

The Godaime's brow creased in irritation.

"Would you rather a send someone else then?"

"No, but—"

"Then stop complaining. I have work to do so please leave my office before I change my mind and send Ino and her Team after them instead."

"Aww, but Ba-chan—"

"Naruto!" she said, slamming her hands on her desk hard enough to crack the sturdy wood.

"Alright, alright," he relented, putting up surprisingly little resistance today. Perhaps he was just excited he would be the one sent if Tsunade did indeed dispatch backup for Sakura and Kakashi.

The orange jacketed man exited, leaving the office as quiet as it had been before he came in and Tsunade slumped heavily in her chair. She reached into one of her desk drawers and pulled out a hidden bottle of sake after looking around to make sure Shizune wouldn't come in and catch her drinking on the job again.

She was just as worried about Sakura as Naruto was but she didn't want to be hasty in her decision making. If she was going to send backup, she wanted a good reason. She had sent an inquiry to Dajaku's club almost a week ago, giving them plenty of time to reply. If another full week passed without a response, she would then send the trio to investigate.

She sighed and took a long swig of the burning liquid, feeling it take the edge off of her anxiety.

A little more time, she would give them a little more time.

XXXXX

Alright everyone, they did it at last! I know it look me a long time to update but since this was such a pivotal part in the story, I wanted to make sure it was a high quality. Hopefully I succeeded in that. Thanks for reading! The next installment will be out…soon I hope?


	17. Chapter 17

Hey everyone. Sorry this update took so long. It was a lot for my poor beta (for whom I am eternally grateful).

I've really been enjoying all of your reviews, especially your guesses as to what is going to happen next. Keep the guesses coming because some of them have actually sparked ideas as to how this story is going to progress.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare- Chapter 17

Sakura's ascent to full consciousness was gentle and leisurely, her mind lingering in the realms of her dreams as if hesitant to return to reality. Before even opening her eyes she was aware of the wonderfully relaxed state of her body, her muscles free of tension in a way they hadn't been for some time. Next she registered the sensation of warmth enveloping her, the majority of the heat pressed to her back, and she slowly realized that another body was molded against her own, an arm thrown over her shoulder and a leg over her thigh, tangling her up with whoever was behind her. Her thoughts were unusually muddled and fuzzy, but when she shifted slightly, a dull pain between her legs brought everything back into sharp focus and the memories of last night flooded her mind.

She had made love to her teacher right here in this bed and it had been by far one of the most erotic, euphoric, amazing things she had ever experienced as he took her to the heights of pleasure first with his tongue and then again during the joining of their bodies. She was a virgin no longer because of his actions…because of her request, and the notion was strange to her after having lived so many years with the stubborn mentality that she was saving herself for the only man she had ever to loved.

But Sasuke hadn't been the first to bed her, Kakashi had, in a heated but tender exploration of her body. He had obviously sought to put her pleasure before all else, and for that she was grateful, for the way he had so thoroughly caressed every inch of her body still made her tingle.

She cracked her eyes open at last, finding Kakashi had left the light on, and with the curtains drawn the dim bulb was the only source of light in the room. The clock on the nightstand told her it was a little after six in the morning but she somehow felt wide awake, having gotten a better night's sleep than she had during her entire time in Fuzen Machi.

She heard Kakashi mutter in his sleep behind her, his hand shifting to rest low on her abdomen, long fingers splayed out just short of brushing the small patch of pink curls crowning her mound. His breath blew softly on the back on her neck in a steady rhythm, betraying that he was still deep asleep, but his unconscious movement turned the tingling sensation on her skin into a slow burn.

She wanted him again.

She wriggled out of his grasp which was no easy feat considering how tangled up they'd become. Kakashi continued on in unusually sound sleep, rolling on to his back with a sleepy grumble while Sakura hovered above him.

The sheets were draped over him loosely, his bare torso and face the only parts uncovered. His handsome features looked tranquil in sleep and his wild silver hair was even more disheveled. To Sakura's slight annoyance, his unruly hair served to amp up his sex appeal rather than diminish it, which was quite unfair considering her long pink hair was probably an unsightly rat's nest after being drenched in the rain and then the already prominent tangles slept on, creating a horrific case of bed head.

However, something else about him immediately caught her attention as her eyes drifted down his body. Something was jutting up beneath the pale sheets, the tent oriented directly over where she surmised his groin to be.

Even if Kakashi wasn't awake, another part of him was.

Sakura never would have exhibited such naughty behavior before this mission, but somewhere along the line she had changed, becoming more mischievous and curious about all things sexual. Having been denied a peek at him last night, she peeled the sheet covering him away to reveal a very naked Kakashi, manhood fully erect and jutting proudly into the air.

If ever there was a perfect specimen of the male genitalia, Kakashi's had to be it. The shaft was thick and smooth, marred only by the veins spiraling along his length, leading up to a mushroom shaped head that sparked heat inside her as she remembered the feel of the hard flesh entering her body. The area was crowned with wiry tufts of dark, silvery hair and she smiled, noting the slightly curly hair was just as wild as the strands on his head.

Her lust flared almost instantly and she tried to justify it by thinking that one night in the sack surely wouldn't be enough for her to pass as an experienced seductress. Kakashi hadn't given her the chance to explore his body in the way he had hers. Hell, she hadn't even gotten a good look at his member before he had sheathed it inside her. She wondered what his skin tasted like, and if all the tricks and tips the girls at the club had given her would work on him. Kistune and Tora had mentioned that a man would do anything if a woman wrapped her lips around his cock, although the busty brunette didn't seem nearly as fond of the activity as the redhead did.

Kakashi was not an easy man to manipulate, making Sakura all the more intrigued by the thought of bending him to her will, of dominating him in the same way he had taken her the night before. If she was going to be a proper seductress, she would have to learn how to take charge, and there was no better time to practice than now.

She crawled over him, gazing at Kakashi's swollen member with interest before shifting her eyes back to his face. He was still sound asleep. It looked like her first endeavor would be something of an ambush.

She took him in her hand, marveling at how the skin was so smooth and soft while still being hard. She stroked him gently, feeling his shaft glide through her fingers before letting her thumb run over the head. Kakashi groaned softly, stirring as he began to awaken and Sakura smiled as she lowered her head to lick his tip, sampling his flavor while watching his face. She didn't want to miss his surprised reaction when he realized just what had woken him up.

Kakashi had been sleeping deeply, his normal shinobi reflexes dulled by a night of mind blowing sex, but even he couldn't sleep through the feeling of something warm and wet tapping against his cock. Groggily, he cracked open an eye, immediately looking down to find a pink head of hair centered over his groin. His sluggish mind took a minute to process what was going on, but when he saw sparkling green eyes look up at him as Sakura let her tongue circle over his tip, he instantly put the pieces together and realized what was happening.

His eyes widened and he gasped in both surprise and pleasure as she close her mouth over his tip and began to suck softly, instantly sending molten heat through his languid body.

"A-ahh! Sakura?" he moaned, wondering what the heck had gotten into his former student. Last night was supposed to be the only night they shared their bodies with each other for the exclusive purpose of their mission, and yet here she was, looking like a woman straight out of his fantasies, sucking his cock before he had fully awoken. The whole act was very un-Sakura like and, along with his residual sleepiness and the fact that her hot mouth was sending delicious tingles through him, made his feel thoroughly disoriented.

She pulled away just long enough to breathe a sultry, "Good morning, Kakashi," before closing her mouth around him again, sucking at his tip and letting her tongue glide over the hot flesh.

At first, his skin had tasted a lot like his kiss after he had explored her own sex with his tongue, but she realized she was just tasting traces of last night's love making. After she had licked her own dried juices away, she discovered he tasted less sweet but muskier, more masculine. It wasn't really a flavor she could describe but it was certainly one she wanted more of, especially when she saw the effect her actions were having on her sensei.

Deciding to try out a tip Kitsune had given her, she used the hand that wasn't encircling his shaft to cup the twin sacks beneath, squeezing them gently and noting that her actions indeed seemed to have a desirable effect, for Kakashi groaned again, hands gripping her shoulders, although he seemed unsure about whether to pull her closer or push her away.

She was making him feel so damn good, far better than he would have given her credit for, and somewhere within his hazy mind he wondered if she had honed these skills at the club, using her mouth on other men to extract information. The thought produced a green streak of jealousy as he imagined her doing this to anybody else, but he pushed the thought away, having more important issues to ponder, like why she was doing this in the first place.

"Sakura," he hissed through gritted teeth, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her shoulders. "I thought last night would be our only night together. Didn't you learn what you needed to—mmm."

His sentence broke off into a moan as she ran her tongue along the sensitive underside of his shaft. She smiled around the thick flesh, loving how one simple action could reduce such a powerful man to a quivering heap.

She let him slide free of her mouth but still continued to pump with her hand as she responded.

"You can't expect me to know enough after just one night, Kakashi," she giggled, feeling much more confident than she had the night before. "I want you to teach me more."

"But Sakura," Kakashi said, his voice sounding almost pleading. "We shouldn't—ahh!"

His argument evaporated as he watched her take his tip back into her mouth and proceeded to flick her tongue over the sensitive slit before pressing her limber muscle into it, licking up the precum that had leaked from him.

She could feel him growing even harder inside her mouth, throbbing hot against her tongue. He was still reluctant to give in to her, his poorly timed moral integrity rearing its head again. It was clear that seducing Kakashi Hatake would take some effort.

Memories of all the things the girls at the club had told her about orally pleasuring a man came back to her. She had heard men loved it when a woman took all of him into her mouth, although it was a difficult skill that took practice.

Relaxing her throat just as Kitsune had advised, she began to lower her head, his rigid shaft sliding into her mouth until her lips were almost at his base. She had to fight her gag reflex as he bumped the back of her throat, but his cry of pleasure was more than worth it.

Kakashi could only watch in amazement as she swallowed his entire cock, the slick walls of her mouth closing around him deliciously until his whole length was inside her. His fingers left her shoulders and tangled in her hair, urging her to slide off of him as he desperately tried to remember why he should be resisting. He had agreed to take her virginity the night before, but thought it would only be for one night. Now here she was, without a shred of clothing and his cock halfway down her throat. In actuality, he was thrilled, but a very small part of him stubbornly reminded him that fraternizing with a student was not something that was smiled upon.

She allowed him to pull her off his member until only the tip remained in her mouth, but then slid right back down, earning another strangled moan from her lover as his hands fisted tighter in her hair. She bobbed up and down a few times, loving how it made Kakashi squirm, and when she had all of him inside her, she began to run her tongue up and down his length.

"Oh fuck," Kakashi panted, feeling her slick muscle slide over his sensitive shaft.

He decided that he really didn't give a damn what people thought about the two of them together. After all, it wouldn't matter if none of them ever knew. All resistance fled and the hands in her hair began to guide her up and down, urging her to move faster as he moaned with every flick of her sweet tongue.

Sakura felt him give into her and glanced up to see him reclined back against the pillows, bare torso beginning to glisten with sweat. His chiseled abdominal muscles contracted powerfully, clenching as pleasure rippled through him, and Sakura thought her teacher had never looked sexier. The sight of his wild hair and flushed skin and pleasured expression made her sex quiver in anticipation. She was already wet for him and was eager to feel him inside her again, but she also liked the feeling of having such power over him.

Kakashi watched her bob up and down, mystified by the way she swallowed down his whole length, but he soon had to squeeze his eyes shut, afraid the sight of her would send him over the edge.

He began to arch his hips, thrusting up gently into her mouth as he mimicked what he wanted to do to a different hole, groaning loudly as her tongue once again slicked over him.

Just when he was sure he wouldn't last much longer, the wet heat around him was suddenly gone and Sakura was pulling away. He released his death grip on her hair as she crawled over him, knowing immediately what she had in mind when she centered her hips over his throbbing member.

"I want to know what it feels like on top," she purred, confidence boosted by the way he had moaned for her. Even if Kakashi was a man she knew on a personal level, he was still a man who could be swayed by pleasure.

Too far gone to protest, Kakashi watched through lust glazed eyes as she took his member in her hand and aligned him with her slit. She began to press downward, driving him into her body inch by agonizing inch. The Copy nin watched her face as he entered her, captivated by full pink lips parted in a pleasured gasp as slick feminine muscles wrapped around him. When her hips sank down to his base, she could feel his tip bumping against a wall deep inside, filling her completely but doing little to satiate the burning lust that was threatening to eat her up from the inside out.

She braced small palms on his chest, leaning forward to look down at mismatched eyes as she lifted her hips off of him only to sink back down, panting heavily as he slid in and out of her dripping entrance easily. Her long pink hair fell around them in a messy curtain of tangles, but to Kakashi's eyes, nothing could have been sexier.

They kissed in a hungry clash of lips and tongue, each seeking to devour the other between breathless pants and cries of pleasure. The rhythm of their mouths matched the driving of Sakura's hips, overtaking them until she felt that even her own heart was beating in time to their love making.

She pulled back, noting that his lips were shiny and wet and slightly swollen from her kiss and for some reason it turned her on to know that she had left her mark on him, even if it was only temporary.

"Sakura," he growled, his own large hands instinctively moving to squeeze the toned cheeks of her ass, kneading the firm flesh as her hips established a slow and steady rhythm over his cock.

He watched her ride him, thigh and abdominal muscles flexing beautifully with the effort. She was moaning softly every time her body engulfed him, mewling deliciously as he stretched her, filled her, slid against the slick tightness of her vaginal walls. Her deep green eyes were half closed, eyes clouded and sometimes losing focus when he rubbed certain places within her. The sight alone drove the breath from his lungs and the feel of her around him damn near sent him over the edge, but he refused to give in before he was able to watch her climax on top of him, remembering the stunning picture she had made the night before and wanting to see it again from his current vantage point on his back.

She began to pick up the pace, grinding back and forth and Kakashi couldn't help but urge her on, the hands on her rear assisting in lifting her up and down and encouraging her to move even faster. Her hazy eyes closed at the sensation as she moaned sensuously, last night's inhibitions and shyness just a dream as she was caught up in the exquisite feeling.

"Oh, Kakashi," she moaned, fingernails biting into the hard expanse of his chest.

Although he was pushing deep inside her, he felt like he could reach just a little bit further if she would only shift just a little. If his past experiences were right, he could set her up for another mind blowing orgasm.

"Sit up for me," he rasped, hands moving to rest on her hips and still her movements. The kunoichi obeyed, sitting up straight so she was no longer leaning forward over him. She immediately felt his hard cock shift inside her, rubbing against her cervix as he pushed up into her just a little more.

Her mouth fell open in an inarticulate moan as she felt his hot manhood sink deeper, but when he used his hands on her hips to pull her down as he thrust his own pelvis upward, that moan spiraled into a scream. Her eyes opened wide and stared down at him in surprise, unprepared for the new waves of pleasure assaulting her.

"You like that, baby?" Kakashi smirked, knowing he was as deep as he could physically be in her.

The woman atop him only sobbed as he thrust upward again, making her head fall back helplessly to expose the milky column of her throat. Her hair flowed down her back like a rose colored waterfall, complimenting the blush that had spread over her smooth skin.

She began to grind her hips in desperate circles as Kakashi continued to lift his pelvis while his hands pushed her downward, her impassioned cries mingled with his deeper, raspier moans and reverent utterances of how tight and hot she was and good she felt. She had intended to take charge of him, to dominate him fully, but it seemed the lust they both felt had grown into a monster that neither of them could control. The one in charge now was their mutual passion, powering the smooth undulations of toned muscles and sweat-slicked skin.

Sakura could feel the fire burn once again low in her abdomen, although this time it wasn't so much a ball of fire ready to burst as it was a constant flow, like a river during heavy rains that continues to flow faster, harder, until it sweeps the whole world away.

"Kakashi…" she whimpered breathlessly, forcing her eyes open to look at him. "I'm gonna…I think I'm…"

It didn't take much thinking to figure out what she was trying to say, but he found the murmured admittance of her impending climax to be endlessly sexy, and wanted to encourage her to let go as much as he could.

"Do it," he growled huskily. "Come for me, Sakura."

She could see those mismatched eyes staring at her hungrily, and even when she closed her own, she could still feel his hot gaze on her. He wanted to watch her fall off the edge, wanted to see her at the pinnacle of pleasure, and though she was still a little embarrassed by the idea, she wanted to give him a damn good show.

The constant waves of desire flowing through her continued to increase in frequency and intensity until everything around her was washed away. With a desperate cry, she came, but it was not the life altering explosion her first two orgasms had been. This one was gentler, less abrupt, but by no means any less pleasurable. It washed over her, through her, leaving her tingling and light headed and a little disoriented.

Kakashi watched his former student reach her peak, marveling at her tight stomach which rippled with her release, her muscles contracting in waves and allowing him to actually see her orgasm physically taking place. Her canal constricted around his cock in the same blissful contractions, pulsing and squeezing and damn near making him come with her, but he gritted his teeth and refused to let his body determine when their coupling would end. He wasn't done with her quite yet.

Her face looked utterly enraptured, but as she came down from her high and opened her eyes, he did not see the hazy glow of satisfaction he had expected. Instead, there was only hunger and searing heat. She was looking at him like a half starved tigress and he stared right back like a wolf surveying its prey.

"You want more, don't you?" he rasped, his gravelly voice making the muscles of her womb clench.

Her orgasm had been divine, and in no way lacking, but somehow, it just wasn't enough. Her body still craved him, needed him, and instead of responding with words, she began to rock her hips against his all over again.

Kakashi growled low in the back of his throat, his cock painfully rigid and ready to burst. If she wanted pleasure, he'd sure as hell give her pleasure. He just wasn't sure how long he could last with her riding him like a wild woman.

Sakura was unprepared for what happened next. One minute she was grinding sensually on Kakashi's cock and the next she was on her hands and knees, pussy abandoned and aching to be filled again. She felt his presence behind her and shuddered in giddy anticipation as a broad palm smoothed over her naked back.

"Kakashi?" she whimpered uncertainly, looking over her shoulder to find him positioned on his knees, his free hand pumping his member that was still slick with her juices.

"Shh, just relax," he assured, black and red eyes roving her naked backside hungrily.

With a tilt of his hips, his hot cock was pressed against her nether lips, rubbing over her clit teasingly before running over her dripping slit. Sakura shifted restlessly, her body too aroused to tolerate much teasing.

And the with one sharp thrust he was buried to the hilt, the sudden invasion causing the kunoichi's back to arch into a nearly perfect 'U,' her head falling back and a primal moan escaping her lips.

Kakashi hissed as he was once more encased inside her young, hot body and immediately began to thrust slow and deep, his hands coming around to cup her dangling breasts while his chest pressed to her back. His breath tickled her ear as he asked how it felt in this position. In actuality, what he was doing felt amazing, but she couldn't fight down the fresh blush that bloomed over her cheeks. What they were doing was perhaps one of the naughtiest positions she had heard about. He was taking her from behind with powerful thrusts, and though she was embarrassed to be on her hands and knees with her ass offered so wantonly to him, she couldn't stop the flow of pleasured sighs and sobs that escaped as he penetrated her. Even if this position was dirty, she certainly was enjoying it.

His hands massaged the soft globes, fingers plucking at pebbled nipples until they were fully distended. She could feel his coarse public hair brushing against her rear as well as something soft and fleshy smacking against her with every forward thrust. She knew it had to be his testes, and even though she had squeezed them in her own palm earlier, she flushed at the sound they made when they slapped against her own flesh.

Kakashi pressed hot kisses to the back of her neck, breath coming in harsh pants against her naked skin. There's was something so deliciously primal about having her in this position, and her awed and needy gasps only drove him to pound into her harder, faster. He had heard the uncertainty in her voice when he had first maneuvered her onto her hands and knees, peering over her shoulder at him with those brilliant green eyes. He knew she would be hesitant to let him take her like this, especially after last night's traditional position, but the way she was moaning now every time he thrust into her, made Kakashi confident that he had convinced her of the charms this position had, and he wasn't done yet.

He let one hand abandon her breast and let it drift down her stomach to the place where he was pumping in and out of her body. His skilled hands found her clit easily and began to rub maddening little circles over the sensitive button in time to his powerful thrusts.

Her reaction was immediate and Kakashi chuckled darkly as she cried out his name before her arms gave out, unable to support her weight as the duel sensations of being penetrated and having her clit stimulated tore through her. She buried her face in the twisted sheets, hands clutching the material helplessly as she squirmed and moaned and screamed. Kakashi's other hand settled on her hip, guiding her to push back into him when he thrust forward, allowing him to slide even deeper into her tight paradise.

"That's it Sakura, go wild for me," he encouraged, getting off on every pleasured sound that passed her lips. The way she screamed his name, the way she whimpered in awe at the sensation, the way she moaned in pure, unadulterated pleasure, it was all more erotic and sensual than any other woman he had ever been with. Even the faint scars adorning her body failed to make her soft skin any less beautiful. He was drunk on her and existed in this moment only to be joined with her, to fill her with his very essence and bring her pleasure unlike any she had ever experienced.

Sakura found herself forgetting how to breathe as the searing heat raced along her spin and through her veins. Every stroke of his fingers over her clit sent lightning through her and every bone-jarring thrust of his hips made her hot and dizzy. The star in her belly was burning again and this time she was sure that, when it exploded, there would be nothing gentle about it. It was sure to tear her apart.

She wanted to tell him to slow down before she drowned in the pleasure, overwhelmed by his teeth grazing her shoulder, his lean chest pressed to her back, and those narrow hips crashing into her relentlessly, but it seemed too much to do more than mindlessly cry his name into the sheets. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes from the intensity of it all, and when he let a fingernail scrap over the tender bud at the apex of her thighs, she lost her hold on reality. Her orgasm hit her with more power than a punch to the gut during a sparring match, colors streaking across her vision as she felt her body squeeze tightly around her lover before spasming uncontrollably, every muscle contraction sending raw pleasure through her until her throat was hoarse from screaming.

Her orgasm came without warning, driving the breath from Kakashi's lungs as she suddenly clamped around him like a vice. He uttered a soft curse and gave in as her body milked the release from him, pouring his hot seed into her demanding womb as she flexed and fluttered around his cock until every drop of his desire had been spent.

He collapsed onto her, sending them both face down into the pillows in a tangle of hair and skin and sweat. She was still trembling as he covered her protectively, hovering over her while pressing lazy kisses to the pale expanse of her back, licking up the salt from her skin and reveling in the fuzzy afterglow.

Gradually, she stopped shaking and her breathing evened out, giving a contented hum as she snuggled into the sheets. The air around them was thick with the musky scent of their sex and the sheets were now damp with sweat. His lips roved over her, pressing warm kisses to her shoulders, back, even her ass and thighs, the sweet sensation making her eyelids heavy. She wanted to fall asleep in his arms again but she knew she couldn't stay here all day. There were people waiting for her back at the club, and though this had been a nice distraction, a cruel reality faced her outside these four walls. One of her friends was missing and the others could be in danger, and it appeared the only way to save them was to repeat this act with another man.

She slowly rolled onto her back, letting Kakashi adjust so he could settle his weight over her once more. He smiled down at her warmly before dipping his head to kiss her softly, tongue lazily sliding over her bottom lip. She cooed as he trailed kisses to her ear and then finally down to the valley between her breasts where he seemed content to stay, nuzzling the soft peaks playfully.

"I didn't think we would do this again," he murmured against her flesh, mismatched eyes gazing at her over gently curving breasts.

"I know, I hadn't planned on it, but I still had so much to learn…" she trailed off, knowing that neither of them really believed that was her only reason for seducing him into another round of fantastic sex.

Neither said anything for a moment and the silence stretched between them as Sakura tried to delay the inevitable, but she knew she couldn't stay here forever.

"I should go," she said reluctantly. "I want to get back before the girls start waking up and realize I'm not there."

He gave a slight nod, lifting his head and tilting it towards the bathroom.

"You should shower first. You look a little…ravaged."

His mouth quirked into a sexy smirk, apparently quite pleased that he had been the one to do the ravaging and Sakura's cheeks colored slightly.

"Ok," she smiled. "But you could use one yourself."

"Alright," he said, lifting himself off her body so she could get up. "I'll shower when you're gone."

To his surprise, she stood and took his hand, pulling him gently.

"Why wait?" she smiled. "Save water and join me."

Her request was a little timid but she pulled him with enough force to urge him to stand. There was a twinkle in her green eyes that betrayed the fact that saving water was the furthest thing from the kunoichi's mind, especially when her eyes roamed his nude form appreciatively.

Before he could protest, she practically dragged him after her into the bathroom and he couldn't help but wonder if he had unintentionally created a sex-loving monster.

XXXXX

Sakura slipped into the darkened interior of the club, noting that it was nearly as cold within the building as it was outside. Dajaku was probably too cheap to heat the place.

"Good morning."

And speaking of the money grubbing bastard…

Dajaku stood in the doorway of his office, wearing another expensive looking silk shirt with comb over neatly in place.

"You were out awfully late," he remarked, tone disapproving.

"I couldn't sleep after everything that's happened. I needed to think things over."

Well, maybe that had been the initial plan she had concocted while still in her own bed, to think things over with Kakashi, not screw his brains out.

"I see," Dajaku said, clearly not believing her. It was almost like he assumed they had done the deed and had been for some time. His presumptions irritated the kunoichi but she supposed her client assumed that all men thought like that, meaning that women were good for little more than sex and making him money. If he had a female partner, he would probably try and bed her as soon as possible. Sakura had to repress a shudder, as the thought of sleeping with a greasy scum ball like Dajaku made her a little nauseous.

"I should get back to bed before the girls notice I was gone," she said, not at all in the mood to chat with the club owner. Dajaku nodded but didn't go back inside his office, his eyes following her until she went into the dressing room and was out of sight.

Sakura walked up the stairs and into the common room to discover Tora sitting on the couch, a book in one hand and an entire bottle of alcohol in the other. Apparently she had raided the bar downstairs again.

She looked slightly tipsy but she still frowned when Sakura walked in, having believed her to be asleep with everyone else.

"Good morning Tora," she smiled, knowing she had to tread carefully. She didn't want it to get out that she had been gone all night. If they started asking questions, it could blow her cover. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"An hour or so," the brunette slurred. "I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd see why Miyabi liked reading this book so much. I should have just asked her while she was here, but now…"

Sakura nodded, knowing the women were still grieving over their missing friend. She too missed the tall woman's company and though she had vowed to get her back, she had made embarrassingly little progress.

"What about you, Hana? Why are you up so early?"

It had been a little after nine when she left Kakashi's place ten minutes ago. If Tora had been sitting her about an hour, she could lie and say she had woken up at six or seven and had only been gone a little while, but if Tora even talked to Misaki about it, she'd have some explaining to do since the blonde knew she had in fact left much earlier. Sakura decided to risk it.

"I've only been up a little longer than you. I needed to take a walk and clear my head. I couldn't sleep after everything that's happened."

Well, it was true she hadn't gotten a lot of sleep, but a certain silver-haired man was responsible for that.

Tora nodded, either too drunk or too trusting to question her lie. She took another swig from the bottle and went back to her book, although Sakura was fairly certain she wasn't really processing anything she was reading. Not wanting Tora to continue with her self destructive behavior, she gently pried the half empty bottle from her fingers.

"I think you've had enough," Sakura said softly.

Tora didn't fight her but nodded glumly, slumping onto her side and curling up on the couch, still clutching the book but making no effort to read it.

"I want her to come back," the brunette whispered, voice thick with alcohol and emotion.

"I know," Sakura agreed, sitting on the couch to put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "So do I."

XXXXX

Even after she left, Kakashi's head was full of nothing but Sakura. His sheets still smelled like her and a long pink strand of hair lay across his pillow. He couldn't quite believe what had transpired but knew that what they had done hadn't satiated his lust for her like he had hoped, but fueled it further. Even their steamy encounter in the shower hadn't quenched his thirst, although he was been rather impressed with her ability to hook a foot over his shoulder while standing. He was so tall that the position put her in a near perfect split, a position he had never tried. He had pressed her against the wall and made love to her all over again under the hot spray of the shower, loving how she was forced to cling to him in her unstable position, or risk slipping and falling.

Tasting her sweetness only whetted his appetite for more, and he knew it would be all the harder to stop himself now. The truth of it was, he didn't want to stop. He wanted to have her to himself, to force those delicious moans from her lips as he explored her body inside and out.

He hadn't liked the idea of her sleeping with another man before this, but now the thought ignited a quiet anger inside of him, and that was perplexing. He had no right to get mad. Sure, it wasn't fair to have to sleep with a perfect stranger, but kunoichi had been called on to do worse things in the name of duty. But he just couldn't shake the rage that flared every time he pictured those silky legs wrapped around another man's hips.

He knew this behavior wasn't normal, and sitting in his room breathing in her scent and reliving the experience of screwing her pretty little brains out wasn't helping his cause. He hurriedly dressed in warm clothes, including his eye patch, mask and an additional wooly black scarf, and emerged into the cool morning air, noting that the clouds overhead guaranteed another dreary day.

He didn't really have a destination in mind and proceeded to wander until he found himself in front of the adult bookstore. He went inside without thinking, intending to browse the merchandise and perhaps pick up another Icha Icha novel since he had only brought one with him on this mission, but the second he entered the store he realized this place wasn't such a good idea if he intended to get his mind off of Sakura. Books depicting various sexual positions immediately sparked his imagination, and in his mind's eye he could see Sakura and himself engaging in whatever sexual scene was being shown.

He had a feeling his beloved Icha Icha would not serve his cause any better, for whatever woman depicted on the pages would no doubt have long pink hair and green eyes in Kakashi's mind. He was just about to leave in search of a sex free environment when his ears picked up on a conversation taking place at the front counter.

It was still early enough that the man talking with the clerk was the only other customer in the store, but they were conversing in hushed tones, a pair of handcuffs, which the customer was apparently going to buy, lying between them on the counter. Kakashi could only hear bits and pieces of their conversation so he casually made his way closer to them, pretending to be interested in a certain book. He picked one up and feigned looking through it and the two men paid him no mind. Apparently they didn't think he could hear them.

"I heard they'll do anything you ask, even the really kinky stuff," the customer was saying. Even under his thick coat Kakashi could tell he was extremely slender, scrawny. There wasn't even a hint of a chakra signature from either of the two men. They were civilians, that much was certain.

"There's not a woman alive who would do everything I want in bed," the store owner rasped, his voice hoarse and dry like dead leaves being crushed under foot. Kakashi had a feeling he had smoked one too many cigarettes in his lifetime.

"No, but that's the thing, these girls will. It's like you control them. They're pretty much your personal sex slave and will give you whatever you want, no questions asked."

The Copy nin made sure to keep up the appearance that he was completely absorbed in the book in his hand, but the couple most definitely had his full attention now.

"Sounds like a myth to me," the clerk snorted, as he rang up the other man's purchase on a shabby cash register that looked like it had seen better days. "Where the hell would I find a girl like that."

"I met a man that deals in the slave trade," the skinny man said, pushing long, scraggly hair from his eyes. The dirty brown strands were pulled back into a ponytail but the shorter pieces had worked their way free and fell into his face.

"Yeah? How much would one of these mythical women cost me?" the portly clerk asked, placing the handcuffs in a discreet brown paper bag as he looked at his customer skeptically, clearly not believing a word of what was being said.

The slender man's shoulders slumped.

"Well, he didn't go into detail but he said prices started at two million, more depending on the girl's looks and if you wanted something specific."

The clerk erupted into a fit of laughter which sounded more like he was wheezing and sputtering.

"Two million? Hell, even if these women do exist, they'll still always be a myth for me. Two million, who has that kind of cash?"

The customer seemed to feel a little foolish after being so blatantly laughed at. He took his purchase and without another word scuttled out of the shop.

If this wasn't a gift from heaven above, Kakashi didn't know what was. Perhaps what the man had said really was just a fictitious story and was completely unrelated to his current mission, but maybe it wasn't. Kakashi had to be sure.

Looking as casual as possible, he put down the book and walked out of the shop, immediately spotting the man in his dark coat. It appeared he was planning to eat at a grimy little pub. Not believing his luck, Kakashi followed his target inside and watched him sit at a booth in the corner, placing his brown bag on the seat beside him and picking up a ragged plastic menu.

It had to be now or never and Kakashi had no intention of letting this opportunity pass by.

Walking with nonchalant ease, he slid into the booth opposite the man in the coat.

"Uh…can I help you?" the man asked, water blue eyes wary and body tense as he eyed Kakashi suspiciously over his menu.

"Yes, you can actually," Kakashi said warmly, smiling though his mask and scarf prevented it from being seen. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation at the bookstore and was wondering—"

"Ah, so you've come to laugh at me too?" the skinny man scowled, seeming to withdraw slightly into the bulk of his dark coat as if it would protect him from ridicule.

"On the contrary," Kakashi replied, knowing he had to tread carefully or risk driving the man away. He had to be aggressive but not too aggressive, and sincere enough to assure than man he didn't want to mock him. "I am quite interested in the prospect of a wholly…obedient woman. There are few that would partake in what I would ask of them."

The man's eyes narrowed as he considered Kakashi's request. The Copy ninja had changed his demeanor slightly, sounding more business-like and sophisticated. Anyone who didn't know him might guess he was from a wealthier background than a simple Konoha ninja and that served his purpose if he was inquiring about a purchase that was no less than two million dollars.

"The way you say it, you make it sound like you planning on collecting a women to do your dirty work," the ponytailed man said, crossing his arms over his chest defensively in gesture that told Kakashi he was clearly not convinced.

The shinobi chuckled lightly.

"No, no. It's nothing of that sort. My taste in bedroom activities range on the more…exotic side."

The man opposite him shrugged.

"So what? The whores in this town will do just about anything if you pay them enough."

Kakashi shook his head.

"There are some things even money won't persuade a woman to do."

His target's expression shifted from wary to slightly curious, obviously unable to think of anything so degrading, horrifying or disgusting.

"Now you've gone and made me curious," he grumbled. "All right, tell me what you're planning on making these women do, and I'll tell you what I know."

Kakashi inwardly smirked as his fish took the bait. He looked around as if to make sure there was nobody close enough to hear him before leaning forward and whispering descriptions of acts so dirty, even Icha Icha wouldn't dare publish them.

The man's pale blue eyes widened as his jaw dropped in disbelief.

"You sick bastard."

The Copy nin shrugged.

"Hey, everyone has their personal preferences. I kept my end of the bargain, now keep yours."

The man regarded him thoughtfully and for a moment, Kakashi was afraid he was going to go back on his word.

"Show me your face," the man finally said. "I have a hard time trusting a guy who covers half his face."

"I'm sorry," Kakashi said diplomatically. "I don't show my face in public ever since an accident I had a few years back. It's not a pretty sight under the scarf. It's another reason I have trouble attracting women."

His lie was smooth, flowing from his lips without a hitch and the man bought into it. Nodding slowly as he pieced together what little information he thought he knew about the man in front of him.

"Alright," he finally agreed. "I don't know much but I'll tell you what I can. Apparently some big shot with way too much money thought it would be a good idea to take women and tamper with their brains until they're incapable of refusing a man's request. I don't know how the process works but apparently they can be mentally wired to respond to one man and one man only, like a personal slave."

"Fascinating," Kakashi said, as if liking the idea when in reality he was quivering with anger and revulsion. What the hell gave anyone the right to think they could take away the free will of a woman in order to transform her into nothing more than a sex toy? "Where do these women come from? And can I specify hair color, body type and the like or do I get whatever they have handy."

The man shrugged.

"Like I said, I don't know much. I assume they take girls that won't be missed if they suddenly go and disappear. As for specifics, all I know if that the more details you add, the more expensive they get."

"I see," Kakashi said as the wheels in his head turned rapidly, fitting this new information with what he already knew and was shocked at how perfectly the pieces seemed to fit.

He pretended to glance at the clock on the wall and be dismayed at the time.

"I would love to talk about this more but I have a prior engagement. Would you care to meet me later tonight at a club? I promise I'll make it worth your while."

"Well I don't—"

"The club Wet Dreams, have you heard of it?"

"Sure. I've been there a few—"

"Wonderful. I'll meet you there around eleven, and I'll make sure one of the girls there takes good care of you for your troubles."

The man seemed to perk up at the silver-haired man's promise.

"A lapdance, huh? Can you get me the purple-haired babe? She's always too snobby to give me the time of day when I go."

"No, I have someone far better planned for you. She's a goddess. She has the most beautiful pink hair and green eyes I've ever seen. And her legs…"

"Pink? I don't remember a pinkie working there."

"She's new," Kakashi stated. "And trust me, she's well worth it."

The promise of female company without the cost was too enticing to resist.

"Okay, fine. Tonight at eleven, although I'm telling you, I don't know much about the whole operation."

Kakashi stood and tipped his head graciously before exiting the building.

Even if the man claimed he didn't know much, he could possibly put him in contact with someone who did, and if the man did indeed have secrets hidden behind those watery blue eyes, a certain pink haired dancer was going to do her best to pry them out of him.

XXXXX

Sakura had just finished lining her eyes with a kohl pencil when her cell phone buzzed. She looked around, making sure nobody had heard it vibrate before flipping it open under her dressing table and discreetly reading Kakashi's message.

I have a man you need to question tonight. Ask him what he knows about local slave trade. Come see me at the bar after your first dance. Meet me in the woman's bathroom afterward.

Her first impulse was a faint tinge of disappointment that the message was mission related and not full of words stating how he had liked their time together or how he missed her.

Sakura shook her head to clear away the silly thought. Of course it was going to be mission related. Hell, even having mind blowing sex with him was mission related and she would do well to remember that.

Well, at least she wouldn't have to spend the night wasting time with men she randomly chose because they merely looked suspicious.

She tucked her phone into the drawer of her dressing table, making sure to hide it under various cosmetics before picking up her mascara and adding several coats to her eyelashes, putting the finishing touches on her dark, smoky make up.

She was wearing one of Jitsu's outfits today since all of hers were dirty and the only girls her size were Jitsu and Misaki. The curly haired blonde, however, seemed as opposed to doing laundry as she was.

"Five minutes to show time, girls!" Dajaku called, sticking his head into the dressing room and lingering even after he had made his announcement.

Sakura sighed and picked up a tube of shimming pink lipstick, her thoughts drifting once again to Kakashi. Why was it that the only man she wanted to give a lap dance to now was him?

The thought of sitting in his lap and grinding over his erection sparked a heat between her thighs and she pressed them together in an attempt to smother it. She had to focus now, because if the man she was about to question turned out to be the lead they had hoped for, she couldn't afford to screw this up, not when Miyabi's life could be depending on it.

XXXXX

Kakashi saw his target enter at two minutes to eleven. The club had just opened and was not yet packed, just as he had planned. He knew it would be much harder to spot his 'date' through the crowds. The man was dressed just as he had been at the pub, a long black coat and his stringy hair pulled into a messy ponytail.

Kakashi waved him over and motioned for him to sit at the empty bar stool adjacent to his.

"Glad you could make it," Kakashi said, offering a gloved hand for the man to shake.

The man nodded and grasped the hand presented to him. Kakashi noted his handshake was weak, almost limp. Apparently he didn't enter into a lot of business deals or he would have known the importance of a strong handshake.

The shinobi signaled the waitress, ordering a bottle of sake before turning back to his target.

"So," Kakashi said, staring at the man levelly. "Who do I see to get myself one of these…products."

The man picked up on his subtlety, understanding that there were other people around and they needed to be discreet.

"I heard the man in charge of the operation doesn't like to meet with people directly. Apparently he's an upstanding individual in the public eye and he can't afford to tarnish his public image."

"I see," Kakashi mused, wondering if it was a man he had heard of and maybe even respected who had such a dark and disgusting secret. "So who do I meet with instead?"

"You'd have to meet with one of his assistants. I actually know one of them so I can get you an appointment…but it will cost you a little if you know what I mean."

Kakashi nodded. Of course there was a price. There was always a price when it came to shrewd men like this, and chances were it probably wouldn't come cheap either.

"That sounds fair, but I'd like a little more information before I strike a deal. I'd like to know what I'm getting myself into," the shinobi replied as their bottle of sake arrived and he graciously poured the man a shot.

"Hey, I told you already that I don't know a lot," the man said, tipping his head back as he downed the burning liquid. "The guy I know doesn't like to talk about this with anyone who isn't seriously considering making a purchase. This is the kind of stuff that even the black market wouldn't approve of, if you know what I mean."

If this operation truly consisted of brainwashing women, he could certainly see why that would be the case.

He was just about to ask another question when the music faded and Dajaku's voice rang out in the smoky gloom of the club, signaling that the show was about to begin.

"Good evening gentlemen. Tonight, you will see exotic and sensual creatures unlike any this town has ever seen."

A chorus of masculine cheers erupted, clearly excited about the prospect of naked flesh before them.

"All of your deepest desires will be brought to life on this stage tonight. Now, without further delay, I give you, the ladies of Wet Dreams!"

The colorful lights flashed as the music began to pulse, low and sensuous. From the main stage, Kitsune emerged, followed by Misaki, both moving like liquid despite their high heels.

"I wouldn't mind a go with that little one," the man beside Kakashi said, nodding in Misaki's direction as she mounted the center pole. "I've always had a thing for the young ones."

Kakashi tried not to cringe, wondering just what else the sick man beside him was into when Sakura appeared from behind the curtain, suddenly making his blood run hot and his pulse quicken. She looked absolutely divine.

Her hair was loose, and perfectly straight, falling to her middle back. Her top was a shimmering white corset, so short that is was probably only four inches wide, barely covering what needed to be covered. It was trimmed in silver and when she turned around to grasp her pole with pole hands, Kakashi could see a silver cord laced up the back. That hardly seemed necessary though when he spotted the zipper in the front. He could just imagine taking the tab at her collarbone between his teeth and easing it downwards until her top separated and revealed those perfect breasts.

"Is she the one?" the target asked, his voice giddy and eager in a way that set Kakashi on edge.

"Yeah, she's the one," Kakashi said through gritted teeth, transfixed by her behind swaying back and forth hypnotically. The thought of anyone else grabbing her tight, toned ass made his jaw clench in anger but he had to calm down. This was just for the mission. He was a professional and he could handle this.

At least, that's what he told himself. The sight of her dancing made heat flare inside him at the memory of how that smooth skin had felt under his fingertips. And the panties she was wearing certainly didn't help. The thong was white, just like her top, and the back triangle just above the cleft of her ass laced up with silver cord just like her corset.

She turned around with her back to the pole and slid down slowly, letting her legs open up until her cloth covered crotch was exposed for all to see, revealing a little silver bow centered at the upper edge of her panties, her rear resting atop four-inch silver stilettos.

If that wasn't bad enough, she began to bounce gently, grinding just like she had been while on top of him in his bed earlier that morning. Kakashi let out a shaky breath as he felt his cock harden inside his pants. He was totally sure now that sleeping with his student had only made his infatuation with her worse.

She closed her knees before anyone had really finished staring at her and gracefully stood, climbing the pole effortlessly until she was at the very top. The man beside the Copy nin gave an impressed whistle as she arched backwards, nearly touching her head to her butt.

"Seeing that makes you wonder what other ways you can bend her, doesn't it?" he smirked, his watery blue eyes transfixed on the pink haired woman on stage. "She'd be a damn good fuck. I bet I could get her knees by her ears."

Kakashi had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from saying that if he ever tried to lay a hand on her, he'd be a dead man, but he managed to keep his cool as memories of their lively romp in his shower reminded him that yes, she could in fact bend that way and the sex had been rather amazing in that particular position.

The song ended and a new one began with a quicker beat and Sakura responded accordingly, spiraling down the pole with practiced ease until she had sunk to her knees. She began to gyrate her hips to the pulsing rhythm as her hands ran over her own body, her head tipping backwards to send her pink hair cascading down her back in a sensual display of silky pink strands.

There was something about Sakura that seemed sexier than usual and he didn't think it was the fact that he had recently explored every inch of her succulent body. Perhaps having sex had helped Sakura connect even better with her inner seductress. She knew what true pleasure was like now and she seemed to be drawing on that experience as she danced. The men watching her could tell too, because there were more hands than usual waving money frantically in an attempt to get her attention.

Kakashi only wished her improved performance wasn't affecting him so greatly, for never had he been this hard and this hungry for her when she danced.

XXXXX

Sakura had never been this aroused by merely dancing and she wished she had chosen another color besides white to wear tonight, for she was growing hotter and wetter by the moment.

It was because of Kakashi. She had found him easily at the bar and, even from the back of the room, could feel the scalding intensity of his gaze. He was watching her every move, drinking in her body as she danced, and the thought made her thighs quiver as she remembered how he had looked at her when she was flat on her back in his bed.

The heat of his touches, the raw pleasure, she wanted more in a way she had never wanted something before. Her body was craving him to the point that her sex ached to be filled by him. The primal pulse of the music surrounded her and it was easy to imagine Kakashi holding her thighs wide open and pounding in to her in time with the beat. Her pussy contracted sharply at the mental image and she nearly moaned aloud. As it was, running her hands over her stomach and clothed breast was making her feel way better than it should have, her nipples already distended and hard beneath the flimsy fabric of her top. She wanted Kakashi so badly that it caught her by surprise. Just what the hell had having sex done to her?

The music changed again, signaling it was time to lose her top. Sakura actually didn't mind as much as she normally did, for the fabric felt abrasive against her overly sensitive nipples.

She crawled sensuously on her hands and knees to the edge of the stage, letting her adoring fans stuff money into the lacy white garter on her thigh. Their fleeting caresses felt unusually good against her skin, but it wasn't them she wanted, wasn't them she found herself wishing would pin her against the nearest wall and fuck her brains out.

Garter full of crinkling bills, she straightened and made her way back to the pole. She leaned against it, facing the audience as one hand reached up to grasp the pole in an erotic display, elbow bent as her slender fingers wrapped around the cool metal. The other hand played with the zipper tab of her top.

She teased the crowd for a moment, knowing everything was made better with a little suspense, before beginning to tug the zipper down slowly, her eyes locked on Kakashi's single eye at the back of the room as she revealed herself.

The crowd cheered as Sakura and other dancers began to undress, but the kunoichi was only concerned with once person, licking her glossy pink lips as her top separated and fell away forgotten.

The warm air of the club did nothing to sooth her flushed skin as she hoisted herself onto the pole once again, showing off her body in a variety of positions that displayed her excessive flexibility. That feeling of empowerment was returning, but it wasn't because she had almost every man in the room in an uproar. It was because Kakashi hadn't looked away from her once since she took the stage, because she now knew what the sight of her body did to him, how he lost his grip on his rigid self control.

The current song blended into the last one in the set, and Sakura worked the crowd like she never had before, working herself up at the same time until her body was absolutely tingling. When the lights went down in preparation for Tsurenai's act, Sakura left the stage and made her way to the bar, ignoring the admiring glances and fixated stares many patrons gave her still bare chest.

Kakashi's hot gaze stayed on her even as she crossed the room, his stare alone making her clothed sex throb hotly. It was only when she was standing before her sensei did she notice the scraggly man seated next to him, eyeing her like a child does a pile of birthday presents, giddy, and impatient. He couldn't wait to unwrap and play with her, and he actually ran his tongue over thin lips as he stared unabashedly at her breasts.

"Hana, I believe this man would like a little of your time," Kakahsi said tightly, trying to keep himself from breaking off the neck of the sake bottle on the bar and ramming it straight through his target's skull for staring at Sakura with such blatant perversion. He handed her a wad of money that was supposed to be payment for her services. After all, things would look suspicious if she did anything for a man around here without money first finding its way into her hands.

"Of course," the kunoichi replied coyly, taking the money first, and then the man's hand, even as her heated gaze remained on Kakashi. Something passed between them in that moment, an acknowledgment of their mutual desire, but it was so brief, it went unnoticed by everyone else. Sakura turned, leading the willowy man towards the booths in the back and Kakashi could only watch her exquisite backside as she went, vowing to put a kunai through the scumbag's heart if he overstepped his boundaries.

Sakura smiled at Juu who nodded in the direction of the nearest vacant booth but she steered her prey towards one of the small rooms with a bed.

The man gave a delighted sound as she motioned him inside before following him and locking the door behind her.

"Sit," she ordered, motioning to the bed, keeping up the sensual act as she began to sway her hips to the music playing inside the booth.

He obeyed, removing his coat and tossing it aside and pushing stringy bangs out of his eyes so he could watch her, his gaze running over her from head to toe and he already seemed to be imagining just what she would look like without her thong.

"My friend outside tells me you've helped him out a bit. That's quite kind of you," she cooed softly, plucking the plentiful bills from her garter and placing them on the nightstand so they wouldn't be in the way. "I suppose I should help you out in return."

The man grinned , clearly liking the idea, and his parted lips revealed twin rows of crooked teeth, discolored by what Sakura expected to be too many cigarettes.

"What do I get to do to you? I was told you would take good care of me. I'm telling you now that it takes quite a lot to satisfy me," the man chuckled, following her hand's movements as they returned to her body and began to run up and down her sides, tracing the swell of her hips and breasts.

"You don't need to worry about that," Sakura smiled, feeling mildly repulsed by this man. Yet, her body was still so hot from her dancing that the feel of her own fingers on her skin was making her breath quicken. "Just let me do all the work and you'll be fine."

The man watched in anticipation as her fingers skimmed down to the waistband of her panties, playing with the lacy fabric teasingly as she instructed him to get comfortable. He settled back against the pillows as she walked around to stand at the foot of the bed, still gyrating her hips in time to the beat.

"So what did you do to earn my services?" Sakura asked, knowing that the sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could get rid of this guy and see Kakashi. "He's seldom so nice as to give me as a present. I'm very expensive."

Her hands wandered over her flat stomach and the man shifted uncomfortably, no doubt having a large erection straining inside his pants.

"I just mentioned I knew a guy who could set him up with a girl that would do anything he wanted in bed," he said, pale blue eyes watching intently as she turned around to lean against he wall behind her, bending over and waving her ass back and forth enticingly.

"Really?" she said, looking over her shoulder innocently as she brought a hand up to squeeze one of her bare ass cheeks. "How did you manage that?"

Her target groaned softly at the sight of her, hands fisting as he imagined his own fingers digging into such supple flesh.

"It's not exactly legal," he ground out as she turned around to resume her alluring dance.

"Oh, trust me honey," Sakura giggled. "I've had men tell me about things that you wouldn't believe. I doubt anything you say could shock me."

Her hands ran up her sides to gently cup her breasts and she let out a soft moan, surprised at how good the light touches felt.

Her one man audience let out a coinciding groan at the sight of her squeezing her pert little breasts and his own hand fumbled for the fly of his pants, tugging it down and freeing his stiff cock. It wasn't particularly large and was darker than his pale skin. It was a poor specimen when compared to Kakashi who had been long and thick and proud. She immediately tried to clear the thought away, telling herself to focus on the task at hand.

"Get over here," he rasped, wrapping his own hand around his erection and giving it a few pumps.

"So impatient," Sakura clucked, sinking one knee into the stained mattress. "I want to hear more about the potential girlfriend."

"Well, she's not exactly a real girl, I mean…she was, but not after what is done to her."

"Oh?" Sakura asked, pausing in her predatory crawl towards him, not liking the ominous tone of his words. "What do you mean?"

"They're brainwashed or something. I'm not really sure what they do to them. All I know is that they do anything asked of them. They're like living robots."

The fire throbbing between her thighs was instantly dulled by his words. Living robots? Was that the fate of Miyabi and all the other girls that had gone missing? Sakura could only begin to imagine what a twisted man would do with a woman like that, and an urgency to find out more overwhelmed her.

"Where do they get the girls?" she asked, trying to remain sensual as if his words hadn't rattled her. She settled her weight over his legs and ran her hands up his thighs, noting his member twitched like a living thing at the sensation.

"I don't know," he ground out heatedly, hips bucking a little as he sought more of her touch. "I know someone involved in the operation, but he didn't tell me too many of the details."

"Is that so?" Sakura said, her voice breathy and seductive despite her inner panic. "Does your friend have a name?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions," the man growled, his blue eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"What can I say, I'm curious," Sakura smiled, letting a single finger trail along his cock in order to distract him a little. Her tactic seemed to work for he instantly groaned, hands coming up to mold her breasts in large, bony fingers.

The unexpected contact made Sakura gasp, her back reflectively arching as the heat that had momentarily retreated in her, flared anew.

"Oh, you like that don't you?" the man beneath her grinned, growing bolder as he pinched and plucked at her hardened nipples, rolling the tight buds between his thumbs and forefingers. "You like it when I play with your sweet little tits?"

A shuddering moan slipped past the kunoichi's lips before she could stop it. Her sensitized body was reacting naturally to the feeling of him roughly playing with her nipples. He was making the muscles in her pussy clench pleasurably and she hated the thought of being aroused by such a man. She swatted his hands away, trying to stay on task despite the distracting thrum of pleasure humming through her body.

"Naughty boy," she said playfully. "Don't you forget who's in charge here. Just for that, you have to tell me his name."

Even though she hated doing it, she wrapped one hand around his twitching cock and squeezed it gently, immediately extracting a raspy moan from him. He felt quite different in her hands from Kakashi, and the sensation dispelled some of the lusty haze surrounding her, enabling her to better focus on her task. She began to slide her fist up and down at a moderate pace, making him pant and moan, his hips soon thrusting into her hand recklessly.

"I don't know his name, I swear," the man panted and Sakura's emerald eyes narrowed to slits. Her hand slowed until it was barely moving, making her target groan in frustration.

"Really? Why do I not believe you?"

Her voice was still low and seductive and she had to fight to keep it from taking on a threatening tone. If he felt threatened, he was even less likely to tell her what she wanted to know.

"Hey, I'm not exactly on a first name basis with the guy," the man practically whined, his hips shifting restlessly as he tried to make her hand move again. "If you want to know about him so bad, I could introduce you."

"What does he look like?" Sakura pressed on, knowing she was being far too aggressive but couldn't seem to stop when she quite possibly had a true lead to Miyabi.

Fortunately, this man was the type to follow orders, not give them. His face grew thoughtful as he responded, even if his hips were still thrusting impatiently into her hand.

"He's ordinary I guess. Ordinary face, ordinary hair. His eyes are a real weird color though."

Sakura's breath caught in her throat, already knowing what he was going to say.

"His eyes are yellow," the man confirmed.

A cold sensation replaced the heat in the pit of her stomach. Apparently both Kakashi and she had been on the right track all along, but the realization offered little solace when it meant Miyabi could be nothing more than a so called "robot" by now.

"Are you always so nosy?" the man beneath her growled, apparently fed up with her interrogation. He grabbed her ass with both hands and hauled her forward until her sex was centered over his erection, causing her to gasp in surprise and release her grip on him.

"Oh fuck," he moaned appreciatively when he felt the soaked material of her thong come in contact with his member. "You're already wet."

He began to thrust up against her, grunting and groaning as her juices seeped through the saturated fabric and dampened the skin of his shaft.

For a moment, Sakura was paralyzed with pleasure as his cock rubbed her clit through her thin panties, making her shudder with need as her body instantly heated again. Her mind screamed in protest that this man had no right to touch her like this but her body was so desperate for release that it didn't seem to care who gave it too her. However, the kunoichi had no intention of letting this scrawny, grimy man do as he pleased.

Forcing her mind to clear, she made the hand signs for her sleep jutsu with lightning speed and, as she pressed glowing fingers to his temples, his hands instantly fell away, although his erection still pressed against her persistently.

She rolled off of him, trying to slow her thundering pulse as she set about increasing his. Ten minutes later, the image of her rolling a condom over him before slipping her thong to the side and impaling herself on him was burned into his mind, right up to the point to where she reached her own peak, her tight pussy squeezing him until he too found release.

She watched him visibly relax as every muscle in his body slackened, including his erection, which wilted like a dying flower as his body was tricked into thinking he had already attained bliss.

The mere act of conjuring and implementing graphic sexual images in his brain was eating her up with need. She couldn't understand why she was so aroused, so desperate for Kakashi's touch. It was almost frightening how she seemed pulled to him, as if they were opposite ends of a powerful magnet.

Despite her aching desire, the most important thing was the information she had gleaned, and she had to tell Kakashi immediately for the information proved that the yellow eyed man they had been chasing was even more important than they had imagined. Though they had no proof that the girls disappearing from the club were in fact part of this atrocious operation, Sakura knew the pieces of the puzzle fit together too perfectly for her to disregard the possibility. Her gut practically screamed that it was all related and it wasn't a feeling she was planning to ignore.

She went about setting the scene for her target's awakening, tearing open a condom and tossing the wrapper to the floor, while wrapping the unused product in a wad of tissues and throwing it away. She was already breathless and flushed, and certainly looked like she had just gone a round herself, so when the unconscious man cracked open a bleary blue eye, he offered her a satisfied smile that told her he had been fooled by her little carnival trick, just like all the others.

"You dirty little thing," he chuckled darkly. "I haven't been fucked like that it a long time."

He zipped up his pants and swung his legs over the bed, a little wobbly on his feet as if Sakura really had just ridden him like a wild woman.

"You're welcome to come again if you pay for it next time. I doubt our friend out there will be so generous twice."

The man nodded, unable to erase the dopey smile off his face as Sakura walked past him and unlocked the door, grabbing her money off the table and immediately heading for the woman's bathroom.

XXXXX

Kakashi had taken up his post near the restrooms, keeping an eye on the door Sakura and her target had disappeared behind. As soon as he saw her emerge, he casually let himself into the woman's single bathroom stall, knowing Sakura would have too many eyes on her to slip into the bathroom unnoticed. He would be caught if he tried to enter after her.

He waited under the light of a simple dim bulb, the tiled interior of the bathroom kept clean by Juu's diligence. Moments later, the door opened again as Sakura entered, letting in a wave of blaring noise and light before the door was shut behind her and the lock was turned.

Before Kakashi had the chance to say a word, she was upon him, ripping away his scarf and mask and hands clinging to him desperately as her mouth pressed hungrily to his. Her tongue immediately slipped past his lips to stroke his own with a kind of urgency and aggression he had never seen from her before.

His sensitive nose instantly picked up the heady and distinctive scent of her arousal, the aroma making what he had only just recently gotten under control spring to life again in a persistent and near painful erection.

Kissing Sakura felt damn nice, but the fact was, they were still on a mission and should be attending to other things besides sexually satisfying one another.

The shinobi's hands felt lightly to his partner's shoulders, intending to gently disengage from her ravenous mouth, but she must have sensed his intensions because she brought her hands to either side of his face, holding him immobile as she continued to plunder his mouth with her tongue, licking and sucking and rendering him breathless.

It was only when both of their lungs were screaming did she relinquish her hold, pulling away just enough to gasp hotly against his cheek.

"Mmm, Kakashi," she panted incoherently, molding her small form to him as if she meant to merge their bodies via embrace.

Her bare breasts were pressed flush to his chest, making him want to remove the layers of clothes he wore that separated their skin. His cock was now at full attention, straining uncomfortably against the rough fabric of his pants, but he still had no idea why Sakura had practically attacked him.

"What's gotten into you?" he growled into the top of her hair, inhaling the clean scent of the long, straight strands as he tried to refrain from dipping his head to nibble at her neck.

"I need you," she moaned wantonly, arching against him as her thighs rubbed together restlessly. "I need you…inside."

He was certainly tempted to grant her request. Even in the dim light he could see how lust darkened and hazy her eyes had become. But why was she acting like this. She had given him a hungry glance before escorting the target to the back, but even that hadn't prepared him for something like this. Unless…

"Did you let that man touch you?" Kakashi growled, territorial male instincts kicking in. The thought of that repulsive man touching Sakura enough to make her this wanton made him nearly tremble with anger.

"Just my breasts," Sakura panted, rubbing said mounds against his chest. "I was already hot from dancing. I don't know what happened but, thinking about you watching me on the pole…and remembering how you touched me…oh God Kakashi, please!"

So that was it? Sakura got off on the thought of dancing exclusively for him? Or maybe she liked the idea of hundreds of men watching her reveal everything for the sake of one. Either way, he was both relieved and incredibly aroused by the fact that Sakura hadn't been worked up by the target, but by him, even if Kakashi himself hadn't laid a hand on her yet.

"So he didn't touch you here?" Kakashi asked roughly, his hand coming down to squeeze her bare ass as the other cupped her sex through the damp material of her panties. He smirked when she arched instantly, a ragged moan escaping her lips.

"He was grinding against me but I still had my panties on. All I could think about was you inside me…" she whimpered, her pelvis instinctively bucking up into Kakashi's palm.

"So he didn't do this?" the Copy nin rasped, letting his middle finger press between her folds, pushing the soaked material into her sex and loving how she twisted and shuddered in his grasp.

"No," she practically sobbed, so unbearably aroused that she could hardly think.

Kakashi couldn't take anymore. He had to have her, right here, right now, their mission be damned.

He spun her around and pushed her forward, Sakura barely having time to keep herself from bumping into the sink. Her hands gripped the porcelain edge as she stared into the mirror in front of her, her pussy quivering as she met Kakashi's heated expression in the reflection. He had pulled off his eye patch sometime between their kiss and now and his mismatched eyes burned dangerously with unadulterated need.

"You want me inside you?" he growled, pressing his pelvis to her rear hard enough for her to feel his arousal.

"Yes," she whimpered, her sex throbbing so intensely that it drowned out her hammering heart.

"Then bend over," Kakashi growled.

The kunoichi obeyed, bracing her forearms on the edge of the sink as she bent forward ninety degrees from the waist. This position was embarrassing, but she doubted he could see her blush in the dim light. Hell, even she was too aroused to care about how he wanted her to stand, just as long as he was inside her soon. She realized this was a far cry from the bashful woman she had been just last night and somewhere in her mind she knew things were going way too fast, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"Now spread your legs," he ordered, letting a large palm run appreciatively, almost tenderly, over the flawless curve of her ass.

Sakura took a wider stance, breathlessly watching him watch her in the mirror. His eyes never looked away, even when she heard the sound of his zipper being pulled down.

One hand grasped his hot, hard length while the other that rested on her ass grabbed her panties and tugged them down around her thighs.

Sakura inhaled sharply as the cool air washed over her, swallowing thickly as she felt Kakashi shift behind her, aligning their bodies so his member bumped against her burning opening.

"Fuck, Sakura," Kakashi groaned as he felt her incredible slickness against his cock, his tone reverent as opposed to the smugness that had been present in the voice of their target. "You're practically dripping."

Sakura only mewled in response, her back arching as she pressed backwards against him, trying to get him inside.

Both of his hands grasped her rear firmly, halting her actions as he began to slide his cock over her sex, covering himself in her essence and watching her expression in the mirror as she panted and moaned and crumbled before him.

"P-please, Kakashi," she gasped brokenly, feeling as if she would burn up if she didn't get some sort of fulfillment immediately.

Kakashi didn't say another word, but just held her gaze with his own smoldering stare as he drew his pelvis back before pushing into her in one long, smooth, slow stroke, feeling her body suck him inside as her mouth fell open in a lustful cry.

"Oh my god!" Sakura sobbed, knuckles turning as white as the porcelain she was clutching.

She could feel him inside her, thick and throbbing, his pulse beating in time with hers.

"Shh baby, take it easy," Kakashi soothed, knowing that the pounding music outside would drown out most of their noise, but he didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to themselves.

Sakura tried to keep it down, but failed for the most part as he began to thrust behind her in a slow but strong rhythm, kneading her ass in large, calloused hands as he watched her reflection lustfully. Every time he pushed inside her, raw pleasure seared her nerve endings, making her euphoric and dizzy. He was stretching her deliciously, and his hands on her ass felt wonderfully naughty. Hell, the whole prospect of him screwing her in a bathroom bent over the sink was downright sinful, and something about that made her even hotter. A few days ago, she never would have imagined herself acting so scandalous with Kakashi, or with anyone for that matter, but now that she was here in the moment, she didn't want it to end.

The Copy nin was rapidly losing his self control, hips beginning to thrust faster, harder, as the primal animal inside him emerged. Her long pink hair falling around them, her enraptured expression, the sight of her small breasts bouncing every time he slammed into her, all of it was breaking him down until he was nothing more than a creature of lust, taking her ferociously like an animal as every exquisite moan and sob that left her lips drove him on.

He was seized by the impulse to claim her, to leave his mark, to show everyone else that she was his and was not to be touched by another. His hands slid around to grasp her hips and began jerking her backwards every time he thrust forward, impaling her even deeper.

Sakura's moans turned to shrieks, her hands clawing at the sink's smooth surface. She could feel her body squeezing his pistoning length harder and harder as she neared climax, her whole body on fire for him as the sound of flesh slapping against flesh filled the room.

Kakashi could feel himself nearing the edge, the tingling in the twin sacks below his member betraying how close he was. Hazy pupils struggled to focus on her perfect image in the mirror but an exceptionally hard ripple of her pussy around him made his vision blur as he finally came.

Not even aware of his own actions, Kakashi's hands left Sakura's ass to grab her shoulders and jerk her up roughly until she was almost standing straight. His mouth latched onto her neck, biting into the creamy flesh there as he erupted inside her, growling heatedly against her skin.

"Mine."

Sakura heard him utter something, a raspy, broken syllable, but wasn't able to make sense of it when she could feel him pouring himself inside her, his cock swelling and pulsing as something scalding hot splashed into her womb. The erotic sensation of being filled by his essence snapped the thread she had been hanging onto, sending her crashing headlong into her own release and, somehow, Kakashi still had the good sense to clap a hand over her mouth, muffling most of what would otherwise be deafening screams.

She was vaguely aware of a pain in her neck as his teeth broke skin, but it was inconsequential compared with the torrent of orgasmic pleasure assaulting her, tearing along her spine and radiating into her fingers and toes. Somewhere along the line she had shut her eyes, although her vision had all but blacked out anyway. When the excruciating pleasure finally ebbed away, she was left feeling tingly and boneless, confident that if she hadn't been leaning against the sink, she would have collapsed.

Kakashi apparently didn't have a lot of strength left either, for he too fell forward, hands bracing themselves on the sink outside of hers, his harsh breaths washing over her shoulder.

She opened her eyes lazily, still panting hard and saw that something red had dribbled down her neck and over her collarbone.

"Kakashi," she murmured softly, watching the crimson liquid trickle into her cleavage in the reflection of the mirror. "Did you…bite me?"

"Huh?" he mumbled tiredly, summoning the strength to lift his head and follow her gaze to the mirror in front of him. "What the…? I guess I did. Sorry."

Kakashi's surprised expression proved that he hadn't meant to bite her, but she still found it strange and actually a little amusing that he had been so caught up in the moment that he lost himself so completely.

The tall shinobi pulled out of her, grabbing some nearby paper towels out of the wall mounted dispenser to clean up the resulting mess all over his now flaccid cock and between her legs. Sakura gasped as the rough paper came in contact with her sensitive flesh, the stimulation too much for her so soon after.

Kakashi chuckled as her body twitched as the paper towel made contact with her clit, and he was sorely tempted to torture her sweet body a little more, but they had already been in here far too long. Dajaku was probably wondering where Sakura was.

"Here," Kakashi said as he offered her a clean paper towel to wipe away the trickle of blood at her neck. The bite had already begun to swell and bruise, her fair skin turning angry ad purple. Fortunately, the conspicuous mark was healed almost instantly with a brief press of Sakura's glowing palm.

"Sorry," Kakashi said again sheepishly, zipping up his pants as he watched her clean up the blood at her throat. "I didn't mean to get so carried away."

"It's ok, Sakura smiled, tossing the bloodied paper into the trashcan. "But what made you do that? I never thought of you as the biting kind."

"I don't know," Kakashi shrugged as he rearranged his eye patch and mask.

But in reality, he did know. Some animal instinct inside him had kicked in, fueled by the urge to make her his alone. He was still inexplicably infuriated by the thought of her being so intimate with anyone else and he had wanted to mark her as a warning for other men to stay away.

The thought was silly, even in his own mind so he didn't dare say it aloud. He didn't understand his own actions enough to attempt to explain them to his pink haired partner.

"So…what did you learn?" Kakashi asked, trying to steer things back on track to their original mission plan. She was supposed to tell him what she had learned from their target, although he wondered if the man had even stuck around this long despite Kakashi's warning not to leave until they had spoken again.

Sakura's shoulders visibly slumped as the information surfaced in her mind.

"He's a legitimate lead all right. It's just too bad he leads us right back to the guy we were already chasing."

Kakashi's uncovered eye widened.

"You mean…?"

"Yeah," Sakura nodded. "His friend in the business of brainwashing women happens to have yellow eyes."

"Shit," Kakashi cursed. What were the odds of everything happening so conveniently? They had been on the right track all along, but now their only new lead led them right back to the guy they couldn't seem to catch. On top of that, the guy they were seeking was a highly skilled shinobi and Kakashi had a feeling that they would never find him unless he wanted to be found.

"So what do we do from here?" Sakura sighed, turning around to lean back again the sink, slumping in defeat until her posture was as bad as her partner's. The act made her even shorter than Kakashi, but when she tilted her face up to look at him, he couldn't resist stooping low to kiss her lips gently.

"You keep doing what you've been doing. I'm going to try and get an appointment with this guy," he murmured against her lips.

Sakura nodded before reluctantly pulling away.

"I should go back to dancing then, and you should go meet with the target."

Kakashi agreed, even though he would have much rather stayed with Sakura longer, tasting her sweet lips.

"Ok, you go first. I'll follow in a few minutes," he said.

He watched her as she slipped back into the cacophony of noise and flashing lights, wondering how she managed to cast such a potent spell over him. He had been so caught up in her that he had forgotten he still needed to talk with the blue eyed man about meeting with someone who was closely linked with the operation. If his target had already left then he had just let their only lead slip through his fingers, and all because he couldn't keep his hands off of Sakura.

This behavior was unnatural. Never had he been so mesmerized, so infatuated with a woman. It figured that he was most attracted to the one he wasn't supposed to have at all.

With a heavy sigh, he walked to the door, praying that his target was still there and willing to set up a date between him and Yellow. Hopefully Sakura had done her job well enough that he was feeling hospitable.

The thought of Sakura doing her so called job was enough to make Kakashi tense with anger, and he sincerely hoped this would be the beginning of the end of this mission. If it went on for much longer, he was sure to lose his mind.

XXXXX

That's all for this installment. Now that I'm on winter break, I'll try and crank out another chapter before the end of January. Thanks for reading everybody!

Merry Christmas!


	18. Chapter 18

Well, you votes on my livejournal survey determined I put out another SB chapter as opposed to finishing my belated Christmas one shot. So…here it is! I hope you enjoy it.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare – Chapter 18

To say that Kakashi felt like dirt was an understatement. He felt lower than dirt. Once again he had failed someone important to him, but this time it wasn't because he lacked the strength to protect them. This time it was simply because he couldn't keep it in his pants.

After screwing Sakura senseless in the bathroom the night before, he had searched for his contact, for the one vital link to the yellow eyed man he was nearly positive was the culprit. He had combed the entire club multiple times, but the willowy man in the oversized jacket was nowhere to be seen. Having already been serviced by Sakura, he had apparently left upon seeing no sign of Kakashi afterward, taking with him the opportunity to schedule a meeting with the shinobi the Copy nin believed to be the kidnapper.

The next morning he had gone back to the adult bookstore to ask the proprietor about the man, but the portly owner behind the counter had little information to provide. In a town like Fuzen Machi, it was often true that the less you knew about the people around you, the better, and so he had made it a policy to not get close to any of his customers, their relationship ending as soon as they made their purchases and walked out the door.

Sakura said she didn't blame him, claiming she was just as much at fault for delaying him in the bathroom, but Kakashi still felt as if he had let her down. After all, he was a high level shinobi and shouldn't be so easily swayed when on an important mission. His actions concerning Sakura were irrational, impractical, and he couldn't figure out why he was acting so foolishly. He never should have slept with her in the first place, yet he could not bring himself to regret it, for the moments he spent exploring her tender body were some of the sweetest he had ever experienced.

He had waited at the club again the following night, hoping his long haired target might appear, but he never showed, leaving Kakashi without a plan once again. He had come so close to securing a meeting with their target, only to have the chance slip away at the last second because of his own damn irresponsibility. Now all he could do was watch and wait and hope to cross paths again with either the long haired man or the ninja with yellow eyes. He detested feeling so powerless, but he didn't know what else to do, and not knowing made him even angrier. He was growing restless without a definitive plan.

Kakashi spent the night after that scouring the streets of the sinful city rather than lurking in the back of Wet Dreams. He went to every shady establishment he could find, searching the masses of rough, unsmiling faces for one of his two targets. Sakura was doing the same back at the club and they had both agreed it would be smart to comb a wider area at least for a night to see if it gave them better results.

Dawn was only a few hours off by the time Kakashi returned to his dingy motel room with nothing to show for his efforts. His discouragement drained the energy from him and he barely had the will to strip off his clothes and collapse onto the bed, not caring that he was completely naked under the sheet thrown haphazardly over his body. The normally secretive shinobi couldn't even be bothered to cover his face.

He was exhausted, but sleep would not come. With nothing else to find solace in, he sat up, propped a pillow against the headboard and flipped open Icha Icha, not even needing to turn on the lamp as the neon blue and green light from the bookstore filtered in his window. He'd hardly read a page when he sensed a presence outside his door. Her presence.

She didn't knock, instead using her chakra to easily pick the door's flimsy lock. In his exhausted state, Kakashi hadn't even bothered with the barrier he usually put on the door to keep out anyone not deterred by the simple lock. It appeared he really was getting sloppy lately. Who knew what else he might do in the future? Perhaps let his guard down completely?

"Any luck?" she asked as she locked the door behind her and padded into the room.

He shook his head.

"You?"

"None," she sighed. "I didn't give a lap dance all night so I could keep an eye out. They didn't come."

The long black coat she wore looked far too big, the sleeves swallowing up her hands completely. It looked like a man's trench coat, but was probably just another hand-me-down article that circulated among the women at the club. There was a tear in the side and the once black fabric had faded to a slate gray, but it served its purpose in protecting her against the outside chill.

"I would have texted you tomorrow," he said. "You didn't have to come."

She stepped into the light, the blue light making her hair shine purple. Kakashi noticed that the strands were still styled sleek and straight and she had not yet washed away the dark, smoky makeup around her eyes.

"I had to see you," she whispered. "I didn't want be alone tonight."

Her eyes roved over him. Even though she could see he was fatigued, he still managed to look positively delicious. The pale sheet pooled around his waist low enough to show dangerous amounts of hipbone. His bared abdominals and pectorals were sculpted and lean, flexing slightly with every quiet breath. His handsome face was surprisingly bare, his mismatched gaze falling on her as his orange book lay open but forgotten in his lap. His silver hair was tinted a dazzling green-blue by the gaudy lights outside, and even his skin had taken on a soft, aqua hue. His mouth quirked into a smirk at her confession of wanting to be with him and the expression unleashed a dozen little butterflies in her stomach, the frantic fluttering of wings making her tingle.

"Won't Dajaku get tired of you sneaking out all the time? If you keep doing this, you're going to get caught."

"I won't get caught," Sakura said with more confidence than she felt as she stepped forward, her fingers coming to the first button of her trench coat.

In all honesty, she very much agreed with him. If she kept sneaking out, it was only a matter of time before the girls noticed her unusual behavior. A smart kunoichi would have stayed in tonight, but for some reason, Sakura couldn't seem to make smart choices regarding Kakashi anymore.

She unfastened the first button and then the next, small fingers working their way down her body until the garment parted and she shrugged out of it, letting it fall forgotten to the floor.

The Copy ninja was simultaneously aroused and amused at the sight before him. Sakura hadn't yet changed out of the clothes she had performed in earlier that night. She was clad in a simple triangle top so small that the soft curves of her breasts were practically spilling out the sides, top and bottom. He wondered how it had stayed in place while she danced. The shorts she wore had a black stripe down either side seam, making the outfit look sporty and flashy, although they were so short that he suspected they did little to cover her ass. Four inch black heels and a lacy black garter completed the look, but the thing he found funny about her outfit was the fact that both the shorts and the top were…

"Orange," he chuckled softly. "Naruto would be proud."

Even in the tinted light, he could see the skimpy outfit was a color quit similar to the obnoxious jacket their blonde teammate always insisted on wearing.

"I know," Sakura smiled back. "I thought the same thing. I wasn't a fan but Dajaku insisted I wear it, even though it clashes horribly with my hair."

"Then take it off and it won't be a problem," he replied, his voice dropping into a lower register that suggested he would be more than happy to do the task for her.

With a wry smile, she reached behind her and slowly tugged on the bows in the middle of her back and at the nape of her neck. The top slid free of her body, landing on the floor in a heap.

"Better?" she whispered seductively, quite aware that his eyes were glued to her newly exposed breasts.

"Oh yeah baby, much better."

He silently beckoned to her, crooking a single index finger in a wordless command. She obeyed, moving toward him with catlike grace, even in her four inch heels. She didn't bother removing them as she crawled onto the bed, her movements lithe and fluid as she straddled his thighs.

"Kakashi," she whispered, her expression turning serious. "Make me forget for a while.

She leaned forward to press a chaste kisses to his neck, trailing them down his throat to his collarbone, her touches turning hungrier as she went.

"Forget?" he murmured, his hands encircling her waist before settling lightly on her hips.

"This mission, those girls who I can't seem to help, this disgusting town, all of it, Kakashi. Help me forget it, just for a little while."

Her voice held a pained edge to it, one that echoed what he felt. The pain of failure and helplessness, of having people that needed you and not being able to do anything to save them, and it broke his heart to hear her like that.

"Sakura," he said softly. He wanted to tell her it wasn't her fault that their mission had progressed so little. She was doing the very best that she could and he was proud of her for growing so much in such a short period of time. She was far stronger than she gave herself credit for and she shouldn't berate herself for anything. If there was anyone to blame, it was him.

But before he could form the words on his tongue, slender fingers wrapped around his member, half hard and still covered by the sheets.

"Please," she breathed, begged, as she began to pump him, her hand moving gentle and slow, feeling him harden as he sucked in his breath sharply.

She kissed down his chest and stomach, her skilled fingers ceasing their movement to pull the sheet away. Kakashi hardly had time to catch his breath before her mouth replaced her hand, tongue stroking the sensitive underside of his shaft as she encased him in wet heat.

His hands tangled helplessly in her hair as her lips slid down to his base, taking him fully as a hand began to play with the twin sacks beneath.

He groaned heatedly when she began to suck, her actions erasing his mind of all other thought. This mission had turned his innocent little Sakura into a sultry goddess, and the way she was pleasing him with her tongue and mouth should have been that of a woman who had far more experience than the cherry blossom before him.

He briefly wondered what Sakura would be like upon returning to Konoha. Could she turn off this newly developed sexual side? Would she be able to look at a man again and not immediately calculate what she could do to him to make him weak? He loved this side of her, but he had also admired the pure innocence she had once held. Their first time making love had been unforgettable, and he attributed much of that to the fact that he was able to see the real Sakura, not the character she had created for this mission. It was Sakura he craved, not Hana, but which one was in front of him now sucking his cock like her life depended on it? How much had those two personalities merged and how much of the real Sakura could be salvaged once all this was over? Kakashi wasn't an idiot. He knew this experience had changed her forever, but he couldn't help but wonder how much of her original sweetness could he keep intact.

Gently, he tugged on her hair, guiding her lips off of his member until she was blinking up at him with a confused look in her emerald eyes.

"Kakashi?"

"Shh," he hushed, taking her hand in his and urging her to settle back against the pillow where he had just been lying. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her shorts and slid them down her legs until her heels and her garter were the only things left.

If she wanted to forget the club and her duty and her second identity, then she shouldn't be the one doing all the work, and Kakashi was more than happy to take over.

He leaned in close to kiss her as he settled between her legs, his erect member bumping against feminine folds that had already grown slick and slippery with desire.

She moaned against his lips as his kissed her tenderly, keeping his movements soft and slow as opposed to the nearly frantic way she had been sucking him off. His actions seemed to calm her and soon there was no desperation behind her movements. It was only then that he pushed his hips forward and sunk into her to the hilt. She moaned and writhed as he made love to her softly, slowly, wanting their coupling to be different than the hot, raw sex they had shared in the club bathroom. Sakura didn't need someone to fuck her right now, she needed someone to care, to hold her with a tenderness she wouldn't find at the club, to treat her like a beautiful woman and not an object.

Kakashi would gladly do this for her any day, any time, he only wondered what would happen when they returned to Konoha and Sakura didn't need his soft kisses anymore. He wondered if there would come a time when he would find himself no longer needing her touch, but honestly, he couldn't imagine going back to a life without Sakura in it as she was now, naked and needy and so damn beautiful that his heart hurt from just looking at her.

As much as he wanted this mission to end, he found himself wishing to prolong their time away from Konoha. Going home meant returning to the way things were before, and he didn't think he could go back to merely waving to the pink haired woman whenever their paths occasionally crossed.

Perhaps Kakashi Hatake really was an idiot because for every day he spent wrapped up in Sakura, it would be that much harder to walk away.

XXXXX

The sun had already risen by the time Sakura dressed and left for the club again. She knew she had stayed at Kakashi's place far too long and she could only hope today would be a day when all the girls were sleeping soundly as opposed to being struck by the collective bought of insomnia that so many of them seemed susceptible to. She pushed open the double doors and sighed in relief when she saw that not even Juu or Dajaku seemed to be awake yet. She crept up the stairs and opened the door, thinking she was safe, only to find four sets of eyes pinned on her.

Tora, Jitsu, Kitsune and Misaki were all crammed onto the couch, their previously grim faces shifting to stunned expressions.

Shit. It looked like she was caught.

"Hana!" Misaki cried, launching herself off the couch and toward Sakura, wrapping her arms around her in a fierce hug. The kunoichi couldn't understand what was said next, for sniffling sobs made the blonde's words nearly unintelligible, and the fact that her face was buried in Sakura's chest didn't help.

"Where were you?" Tora cried, jumping to her feet. "We were worried sick about you!"

Her cobalt eyes were flashing dangerously but Sakura could see that she too was close to tears.

"We thought that you had been the next, that you had been taken away," Jitsu said quietly, her voice equally full of distress.

"I…well…" Sakura stuttered, not knowing what to do. She needed an explanation for being out all night but wasn't prepared with a believable lie. She could tell them she had been out looking for Miyabi, but they would be furious at her for attempting to do something so dangerous on her own.

"Wait a minute," Kitsune said, violet eyes narrowing as she took in Sakura's appearance. "You're still wearing what you performed in last night. You didn't even change your shoes!"

Sakura looked down, finding that her stilettos were indeed still on her feet and the top of her coat had gaped open enough to reveal a bright orange strap. It would be hard to claim that she went tromping around looking for the kidnapper without changing into something more practical first.

A moment of silence passed as the dancers waited for Sakura to explain herself.

"Well…I was going to meet someone…" the kunoichi stalled, desperately trying to think of a believable lie.

"Dressed like that?" Tora scoffed. "There's only one reason to meet someone dressed like that."

Misaki gasped, eyes big and blue and Jitsu continued to look on quietly, pretty features still showing traces of worry.

Kitsune, on the other hand wore a knowing smirk.

"So, who is he?"

"W-what?" Sakura stuttered.

"He must be pretty amazing for you to risk sneaking out in the middle of the night to go see him. Did you meet him at the club?"

"I…well…"

The situation had gotten out of control so quickly that the pink haired woman couldn't seem to keep up. These girls were smart and had seen right through her, but they still only knew part of the truth. For a second she considered coming clean and telling them about her true reasons for being at the club and about Kakashi's relation to her. As tempting as it was, she knew she couldn't reveal her true identity just yet. If word got out that she was really a Konoha shinobi, they'd never catch the kidnapper and Miyabi would be gone forever.

"Yes," Sakura sighed, pretending they had guessed her secret entirely. "I met him at the club. I…I can't get enough of him."

Well, that last part was true at least.

"I knew it!" the red haired woman squealed, sounding quite delighted at the prospect of a late night rendezvous with a secret lover. "What does he look like? Is he good in bed?"

While Kitsune seemed delighted, Misaki seemed relieved. Jitsu relaxed a little but Tora, however, didn't look happy at all.

"You were out sneaking around because of some guy? What if the kidnapper had found you alone while you were out? You could have been next Hana!"

Kitsune's mirth fizzled out as the dark haired woman took a step forward with a raised hand and, for a moment, Sakura thought Tora meant to slap her out of anger and frustration. Her face was so full of hurt and worry that physical harm wasn't necessary. Sakura felt absolutely awful for sneaking around and scaring everyone. What was worse was that she was lying about it, even now.

Tora dropped her hand wearily and instead, abruptly embraced the kunoichi in a fierce hug.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, okay honey?" she whispered, her voice quivering as she choked back tears. "You don't need to sneak around. I'm happy you found a man but for heaven's sake, don't go out alone."

"I won't. I'm sorry," Sakura said earnestly. "I-I was just afraid of what Dajaku would say."

It was all she could do not to wince at her own lie. It seemed every dishonest word she spoke gave way to ten more. Would she ever be able to be truthful with these girls?

"Don't worry about him," Kitsune said, joining in the hug by wrapping her arms around both women. Misaki and Jitsu followed until they were all engaged in one big group hug. "As long as you keep performing and giving private dances, I doubt he'll care, although he wouldn't want you wandering out there alone either."

"I know," Sakura replied. "I'll have my man come meet me and walk me to wherever we go from now on."

"Good," Misaki sniffled, still trying to reign in the last of her tears despite the brightness in her voice. "Now that Hana-chan is home safe, let's go make breakfast!"

Sakura smiled at the nickname. Misaki hadn't called her that in a while. The blonde's request for food was almost comical in light of what had just happened and it seemed to break the somber mood that had surrounded the group.

"That's an excellent idea, honey," Tora agreed. "I think we still have some eggs and bread left. I'll make the toast."

The five girls broke apart and Tora and Misaki led the way to the kitchen with Kitsune following close behind. Sakura was about to follow them when a slender hand around her wrist stopped her.

She found herself looking down into Jitsu's warm, green eyes.

"Hana," the shorter girl said seriously. "This new guy…are you serious about him?"

The question was so sudden that Sakura was taken aback. She found herself pondering Jitsu's words because she hadn't really addressed the depth of her feelings for her former teacher. Their intimate relationship was only supposed to last a night, to be nothing more than an educational experience, but somehow it had spiraled out of control and she found herself waiting breathlessly for the next time when they could be alone, like an addict waiting for the next fix. Sakura certainly lusted for Kakashi, loving the way he made her body feel, but was that all this was? In the more tender moments when he held her close and stroked her hair and pressed gentle kisses to her cheek, it was easy to believe that it was more than just lust, but was that what she wanted? Did she want more than physical affection from the man she had viewed as strictly her teacher before this mission began?

She should have found it an easy question to answer, to proclaim that she wanted Kakashi's body and nothing more, and yet she stood stupefied, wondering what the hell she really wanted from all of this.

"I…I don't know yet," she answered honestly, surprised by her own words as they left her mouth.

Jitsu nodded in understanding.

"Well, whatever you do Hana, be careful. Don't forget that few men view us as anything more than a good time, a plaything. I thought I had found someone too, someone who loved me and would save me from all this…but I was mistaken."

Sakura remembered the painful story of Jitsu's past, of the man who had run at the first sign of trouble and the baby she had been forced to give up.

"I'll be careful," Sakura promised, taking Jitsu's hand in her own and giving it a squeeze. "I'm not going to fall head over heels that easily."

Jitsu smiled, but her eyes retained sadness in their depths.

"That's what I said too."

Apparently having nothing more to say, Jitsu began to walk towards their make-shift kitchen, pulling Sakura with her. As the kunoichi began to follow, she suddenly felt a presence behind them and glanced over her shoulder to see Tsurenai standing half hidden in the hallway that led to her room. The cruel smirk on her lips told Sakura that she was quite amused by the whole situation, although she couldn't be sure how much the star dancer had actually overheard.

Their eyes met for a moment, emerald staring down aqua, and then Tsurenai was gone, retreating back into her room, and Sakura as left wondering if she should be worried about what the purple haired woman had seen.

XXXXX

Kakashi wasn't sure how long he had been sleeping after Sakura left, but he was slumbering soundly when the annoyingly cheerful sound of his cell phone cut through the haze of his dreams, jarring him back to wakefulness.

"Hello?" he rasped, fumbling the phone to his ear as he scrubbed a hand over his bare face. He was still completely naked, the sheet bunched haphazardly around his waist as his shinobi training clicked on, instantly making him alert and ready to take action.

"Hi…um, Kakashi?" came Sakura's voice over the phone. She sounded nervous and slightly…embarrassed.

"Sakura, what is it?" the Copy nin asked, concerned by the trepidation in her voice and the fact she was calling him in the middle of the day.

"Well…you know how you said I'd get caught if I kept sneaking out to see you?"

Kakashi didn't like where this was going.

"Yes," he said warily.

"Well, the thing is, this morning when I came back to the club, I was kind of…caught."

Kakashi was suddenly sitting bolt upright in bed.

"You what?"

He could almost hear Sakura wince as she tried to calm him.

"Don't worry, they don't know we're shinobi. They just think I'm involved in a fling and that's why I'm sneaking out to see you."

Kakashi frowned, for some reason disliking the thought that he was just a temporary source of fun even if it was just a story she had made up to keep their true identities hidden.

"How many saw you?" he asked.

"All of them, including Tsurenai."

Kakashi sighed, closing his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. This was just perfect wasn't it? Now the whole damn club knew she had been sneaking around.

"I know I was careless," Sakura confessed."But I think I patched things over ok, and this could actually end up working in out favor. We can see each other freely now after the club closes and nobody will suspect a thing."

He supposed that was true, and maybe this really would work out for the best. Sakura could stay the night and they wouldn't have to worry about her getting back to the club before anybody found her missing.

"I guess you're right," he relented. "But you're damn lucky this slip up didn't cost us. This could have been serious, Sakura."

He had already made one major mistake that could have already cost them this mission. He didn't need his partner adding to the mess.

"I know," she replied sheepishly. "But something else good comes out of this too."

"And what is that?" Kakashi asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"I can come over and take you out to lunch with last night's earnings. Come pick me up in ten minutes ok?"

Before he could protest, there was a click as the connection was severed. Sakura had hung up and he had less than ten minutes to shower and make himself somewhat presentable. She was taking him out to lunch? What the hell inspired her to do that? He supposed if he was supposed to be her object of affection, it would make sense to do something like this. Even if it was under the guise of being mission related, Kakashi was still fully aware that Sakura had just asked him on a date. A part of him was strangely elated, but the other was pointing frantically to the alarm bells that were going off in his head. Sleeping with her was one thing, but now he was really going to start playing the part of something akin to Sakura's boyfriend. Hadn't he just been pondering this morning how he was going to detach himself from his former student once this assignment was completed? He found himself getting a little too comfortable with Sakura in his bed and now they were going on a date. If this kept up, it would be even harder when she walked away from him upon their return to Konoha.

But like a fool, Kakashi was going to go along with it anyway, and he knew it was just for their mission. Deep down, he actually liked the thought of being something more to Sakura than just a mission partner and a good lay, even if it was only temporary.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, running a hand through unruly silver hair as he headed for the bathroom, feeling the chill of the room on his naked skin.

Perhaps Sakura was right. Maybe this would be good for their mission. After all, they could talk much more freely about the mission if they were able to be together. Kakashi nearly scoffed at his own thought. He knew damn well that the second they were out of a public place, the chances of their clothes coming off were very, very high.

He cranked on the shower and waited for the water to warm up before stepping under its rejuvenating spray.

At the very least, perhaps they could discuss mission details in the afterglow, after they had both had an orgasm or two…or three, and they were too exhausted to pounce on each other anymore.

Kakashi shook his head as the hot water coursed down his sculpted back and chest, knowing that that scenario was very unlikely.

XXXXX

In keeping with the atmosphere of a seedy town, Fuzen Machi offered a variety of equally seedy restaurants with seedy patrons inside. However, despite the run-down interior and unfriendly faces, the food served at the small, dingy restaurant the shinobi pair sat in was surprisingly good.

As they ate, Sakura recounted in detail how she had been caught by not one, but all the girls at the club. Kakashi had to admit, it could have ended much worse than it did.

When he had come to pick her up, he could see all their faces watching through the bars of the single upstairs window, giggling and waving to Sakura as she left. They really did think he was her love interest or fling or whatever she had classified him as, and he supposed it really did help their cause after all, considering he didn't have to hide anymore.

Sakura had even dressed up a little for the occasion, foregoing the drab clothes she usually wore. In honor of the weather that was actually warmer than usual, she wore a flouncy little skirt that only came down to her mid thigh. It had probably been a vibrant green once but had since faded to a more pastel shade in places. On top she wore a soft gray long sleeved shirt that clung to her every curve, fastened buttons holding the material together from the neckline to below her sternum. She had on a pair of black high heels today as well, and since they were the newest looking part of her ensemble, he guessed they were a pair she usually performed in. She wore little make up and her hair fell around her face freely in its natural wave. This was the real Sakura, without any of the gimmicks she used at the club to doll herself up. Kakashi thought she was far more attractive like this, although he certainly didn't mind looking at her while she performed.

They ate then left, intent to wander around the town as they talked to make it harder for an eavesdropper to pick up on their conversation. The streets, bustling with drab figures, hardly made for an ideal location for a romantic stroll, and neither did the lust filled eyes of several men that shamelessly stared at Sakura, but they would make the best of it. A purposeful glare from the tall ninja was all it took to get the perverted goons to look away. Sakura stayed close at Kakashi's side as he bent low to whisper in her ear while they walked.

"I'll be back at the club tonight to help you look for our targets."

Sakura nodded.

"I feel like I shouldn't even bother giving lap dances, because I know who I need to see to get more information. But I can't stop or it will look suspicious and Dajaku will be upset.

Kakashi agreed. He had a feeling that the only reason the club owner had been tolerant of their failure for so long was because Sakura was making him a lot of money and attracting new men to Wet Dreams.

"But when we do find Yellow, I hope I'm ready," Sakura murmured. "I hope I've learned enough from you that when I have to sleep with him for real, he'll believe I'm experienced enough to do this for a living."

Kakashi stiffened momentarily. They had been off Yellow's trail for so long that the Copy nin had lost sight of what Sakura would have to do when she found him. She would have sex with another man, and the thought brought with it the familiar and unexplainable anger that always filled him when this topic arose.

Somehow in their wandering, they seemed to have gone directly to Kakashi's motel, as if their feet had led them there without permission.

"It will be scary being with someone who isn't you," Sakura continued, intertwining her fingers with the taller man's and giving his hand a squeeze. "But maybe it will be ok. Who knows? Maybe he'll even be better than you."

Her words came out in a giggle. She had to make light of this situation or she just might break down. She was still terrified to follow through with this particular part of the mission and every fiber of her being rebelled at the thought of letting a perfect stranger use her body. However, Kakashi only heard a carefree giggle and mocking tones as she contemplated enjoying a stranger's touch more than his.

He wrenched his hand out from her grasp to fish his key out of his jacket pocket and opened the metal security door.

Sakura watched him stalk inside with confusion. She had just been kidding, and trying to make a difficult situation easier with a little humor. Apparently Kakashi hadn't found it very funny.

"Hey, wait up! What's the matter?" she asked, running after him, high heels clacking on the cement floor.

The silver haired man said nothing as he trudged up the stairs, knowing he was being irrational and that it was unfair to Sakura to vent his frustrations like this, but he couldn't seem to help himself.

"Why are you taking this so personally?" she called after him, hints of anger creeping into her own voice. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know," Kakashi snapped irritably, his mood having turned from pleasant to sour at just the mention of Sakura sleeping with another.

"Then why are you being like this? You're acting like a jealous boyfriend."

The Copy nin froze in the middle of the hall, just a few doors from his room. Jealous? Is that what he was? He hadn't really examined the irrational root of his emotions.

Sakura saw him stiffen and her eyes narrowed, thinking she had found the truth.

"Are you threatened by the thought of me being with another man and finding him better than you?" she pressed, her anger building. "That's incredibly juvenile behavior, Kakashi. I thought you were better than that."

Kakashi wheeled to face her, the eye not covered by his eye patch burning with dark anger.

"I have no worries about you finding someone better. I doubt you'd moan for anyone else the way you do for me."

The words were out before his brain could register them. He sounded like an asshole and he knew it, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.

Sakura looked at him in disbelief.

"That was arrogant, Kakashi. I thought men grew up eventually, but I guess not."

He stared at her, stubbornly and angrily. Unfortunately, Sakura could be just as stubborn.

"Fine!" she cried, fed up with his antics. "Maybe he will be better than you. Maybe he'll do things to me you haven't even dreamed of and you'll never be able to compare. Is that what you want to hear? If that did happen, maybe you're stupid child-like behavior would have some validity. Maybe—ah!"

Her back hit the wall with a dull thud, cutting off her words, and she suddenly found herself pinned with Kakashi's body pressed to hers. The concrete was cold and unyielding but she could feel Kakashi's heat penetrate her clothes instantly. His uncovered eye showed anger, but hunger as well, and she wondered if maybe she had gone too far.

Something inside Kakashi had snapped as Sakura spoke those poisonous words. He knew she didn't really doubt his abilities in bed, for he had proven his skill over and over again. But he wanted to dominate her, to leave her so breathless that she would remember him even while with another lover. He wanted her to crave his touch, to long for him and to think that no matter who she ended up with in the future, nobody would fulfill her the way he had.

"What the hell? Get off me Kakashi!"

She tried to push him away but he only moved closer, palms pressed to the wall on either side of her body, caging her in.

"You think you'll find someone better?" he growled, his voice low and primal. "Well sweetie, I beg to differ."

Sakura barely had time to register the shiver than ran down her spine from his words before he yanked down his scarf and fused his mouth to hers, his kiss hot and demanding and completely overpowering. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion. Why was he so angry and why had that anger suddenly merged with lust? Although they hadn't seen another guest in this building during their entire stay, this was still a somewhat public place and it was unheard of for Kakashi to uncover his face like this.

His hands were on her, frenzied and hungry, entangling in her hair to pull her into a deeper kiss before falling to her chest to squeeze her breasts roughly, extracting a startled cry which Kakashi eagerly swallowed.

He plundered her mouth, practically raping it despite Sakura's feeble attempts to push him away. His hands fumbled open the buttons of her shirt until a simple black bra was exposed. Without breaking the kiss, he pulled the silky cups down, revealing soft flesh and pink nipples.

Sakura found herself trapped between the hard wall and Kakashi's equally hard body, breath stolen away by what had to be the most aggressive kiss she'd ever had. His thigh was wedged firmly between her own, keeping her pinned and rubbing over her clothed sex, creating a delicious friction that soon awakened her own body's needs. His hands found exposed nipples and soon began to pluck at them, making them harden instantly into tight, rosy buds. She squealed in indignation when he pulled on one roughly, trying to ignore the flash of pleasure that accompanied his actions, but her sounds of protest were muffled by his domineering mouth.

Despite her wriggling attempts to get away, Kakashi could tell he was affecting her. His sensitive nose was already picking up the scent of her arousal and he gave a feral smile against her lips. He pulled away abruptly, and tore the eye patch from his eye so he could fully appreciate the sight of her pressed against the wall, breathless, confused, angry and highly aroused. Her shirt gaped open where he had unbuttoned it and twin nipples peeked out over the cups of her bra. Her skirt had ridden up, exposing dangerous amounts of thigh and she was still wearing those sexy black high heels.

"You're never going to find someone who can touch you better than I can," he growled, his smile predatory and full of dark promise.

Without another word, he dropped to his knees in front of her, both hands reaching under her skirt to pull down her panties in one swift tug.

"Kakashi!" she gasped. "No! Not here!"

"Yes, here," he smirked. "I can't wait another second."

The Copy nin slung one feminine leg over his shoulder, oblivious to the pair of lacy black panties still hanging off her ankle. His hands pulled her skirt up while pinning her hips to the wall, exposing her sweetest spot not only to himself, but anyone who might exit their room and find them in the hallway.

"Kakashi, stop. Let's just go to your room," she begged as he nuzzled tender pink folds, already damp with her desire. He inhaled her intoxicating scent and knew he couldn't stop now if he wanted to. He was going to sex his little cherry blossom right here in the hall.

She cried out when he plunged his tongue into her unexpectedly, growling when he felt her sex contract sharply around the invading muscle. She tried to squirm away as he set up a steady rhythm, pushing his tongue in and out of her rapidly, but his hands on her hips and her unsteady position made more precarious by her heels kept her where he wanted her.

"Oh Kakashi! Oh…oh!" she moaned, even as her hands gripped his shoulders and tried to pull him away.

She tried to push him away with the leg over his shoulder, digging her stiletto into his back painfully. With a growl he had grabbed her thigh and pressed it outward until it was pinned against the wall, spreading her sex open even wider.

"Kakashi, stop. What if somebody sees?" she pleaded, knowing that they would have nowhere to run if someone emerged from their room.

The man between her thighs pulled away just long enough to smirk at her.

"I guess you better be quiet so you don't attract attention."

Their gaze met for just a moment, black and red watching liquid green, and then she was practically sobbing as he delved back in to her, tongue flicking over her swollen clit playfully before sliding back inside.

It was clear she was going to lose this battle as she began rocking her hips against him, back arching as he fucked her with his tongue, the wet muscle sliding in and out of her as deeply as it could go. Her standing leg was beginning to shake but he wouldn't let her move, still pressing her firmly into the wall.

Never had he done something like this, something so irresponsible as being with a woman in a place where they could easily get caught, and on a mission no less! But there was something about this raw sexual hunger than had his blood boiling and he knew Sakura could feel it too. The excitement of possibly getting caught just served to make it hotter and the way she was bucking against him told him that, despite her protests, she was almost at her peak.

He abandoned her tight hole and wrapped his lips around her clit, sucking hungrily and savoring the sweet taste of her juices and the delicious moans he received in reply. Her hands left his shoulders and tangled in his hair as he devoured her like a starved man.

"Oh…Kakashi! Oh! I'm gonna…"

He chuckled against her sex and pulled away just long enough to utter words of encouragement.

"Yeah baby, that's it. Say my name. Scream it when you cum."

He began sucking at her with renewed fervor, cock throbbing in his pants as she moaned his name mindlessly, the syllables falling from her lips in breathy, broken cries.

She gushed warm fluid when she came, moaning his name and gripping his hair so hard she almost tore the silver strands out by the roots. His dark chuckle betrayed his smugness, licking up her juices like a cat with cream, but she was so wet that he couldn't keep up with the liquid seeping from her sex and running down her thighs. It seemed he wasn't the only one turned on by the possibility of being caught.

He couldn't take it anymore. He had to have her.

Without warning, he straightened and jerked down the zipper of his pants. His erect member sprang free and he pumped it a few times in his calloused hand. He was so hard it hurt and he couldn't wait to be inside her.

Sakura's reflexes were dulled by the after glow of her orgasm, and she could do little to fight him as his hands grabbed her thighs and hoisted her up, pressing her against the wall as he aligned their hips.

Her eyes grew wide in understanding as she felt his manhood press against her drenched opening. He was going to have her right here, in this hallway even though his room was just a few feet away.

"Mmm, you're soaked, Sakura," he chuckled. "For someone who claimed they didn't want to do it, you sure are wet."

They both knew damn well she had enjoyed it and she bit her lip shyly, embarrassed at being so easily found out.

"See? You won't find another man who will make you feel like I can. You'll remember me no matter who you let fuck you."

His words were crude, but made a renewed heat burn low in Sakura's stomach. She whimpered as she felt him press forward, the tip of his arousal parting feminine folds.

"I had you first," he whispered against her neck, his breath hot, but somehow making her shiver. "You are mine, even if another is inside of you. You're mine!"

He slammed into her as he spoke the last word, impaling her deeply and extracting a pleasured cry. His hands squeezed her thighs hard, keeping her supported and she wrapped her legs around his hips when he began to move.

His thrusts were hard and fast as the animal in him took over, slamming into her tight, sopping heat and feeling her flex around his cock, gripping him like a velvet vice.

"When you're fucking another man, you'll remember me," he rasped. "And you'll wish it was me inside you instead of him."

Sakura moaned long and low as she felt him fill her over and over again, knowing his words to be true. She couldn't imagine anybody touching her the way Kakashi was.

"You're mine," he panted again against moist skin, his words almost drowning out the wet sound of her tight muscles suctioning him back inside when he tried to pull away.

She moaned again in agreement.

"Say it Sakura, say that you're mine."

"I'm yours," she rasped hoarsely as he began to pick up the speed of his thrusting hips.

"Say my name," he ordered.

"Kakashi, I'm yours! I'm only yours!"

Her voice spiraled into a scream as his pistoning length slammed into her mercilessly. Her arms tightened around his shoulders, fingernails digging into his skin as she felt her sex squeeze him tighter.

"Oh fuck!" he moaned.

Sakura shuddered against him as she reached her peak yet again, silky slick walls clamping down around him as she wailed his name. Kakashi couldn't hold out against the way her body milked him or the passion in her voice and soon lost himself, exploding deep inside her in what had to be the most intense orgasm he'd ever had.

His fingers dug into soft flesh, no doubt bruising her, but she was too wrapped up in the pleasure to care. At last, his strength waned as he came down from his high and they both sunk to the floor, sweaty, disheveled and breathless.

The weight of what he had done and what he had said suddenly struck Kakashi as he watched her quiver helplessly, still recovering from her climax. He had made her proclaim that she was his alone when he had no business staking any claim on her at all. He wasn't really a man who sought monogamous relationships, preferring strings of one night stands that lacked any sort of commitment, but it was painfully apparent that Sakura was a whole different story. Never had he been so enraged by the thought of a woman bedding a man besides himself. Never had he wanted to totally immerse himself in a woman's world the way he did with her. He truly wanted to be with Sakura and explore whatever was developing between them, but at the same time, he was terrified to discover what those true feelings were.

She sniffled softly, finally raising her head to look at him with those captivating eyes and he could see she was confused and a little scared by his behavior. He didn't blame her. He hadn't acted any better than the men she danced for at the club.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his voice brimming with sincerity as he wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace, holding her close even as their bodies remained joined. "I didn't mean to…I didn't think…"

"I-I don't want to sleep with him."

He pulled away to look down at her. She looked so small and frail despite the fact that she was quite a formidable shinobi.

"I don't want to do this Kakashi, but I have to. I don't want a stranger touching me, being inside me. But I have to find Miyabi. I have to…"

Tears fell from her eyes, cutting wet trails down her cheeks and Kakashi was once again struck by that cursed feeling of helplessness as he held her without a clue as to what to do. All he could think of was to hold her close and let her cry, her tears soaking his shirt and jacket as she trembled in his arms. He hadn't helped matters, instead making them worse as he had made her feel guilty about having to sleep with another man. This situation was spiraling out of control, growing steadily more chaotic since their first night together.

As he held her, stroking her back soothingly, he wondered if he was even in control at all anymore.

XXXXX

The girls had greeted Sakura upon her return, eager to learn all about her date with her new man, but right away they could sense that she was upset. Sakura had simply told them she had had an argument with him and didn't want to talk about it. They respected her wishes and didn't press the issue but she could tell they were still curious to learn what had happened.

The kunoichi had taken a long, hot shower, rinsing away the remains of sex with Kakashi and tried to clear her head and focus on the mission. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad sleeping with their yellow-eyed target. She only had to do it once and if she just put her mind in a different place, or even pretended it was Kakashi, perhaps she could make it bearable.

She hadn't been able to focus clearly while he had been ravaging her against the wall, but she knew he had demanded she proclaim she was his, and she wasn't sure what to make of it. It could have been nothing more than words spoken in the heat of the moment, his testosterone levels and adrenaline heightened by the sex and the thought of her with another…but what if it was more than that? Did Kakashi really want her to be with him and only him, or was he really just threatened by the thought of another man showing her a better time than he had? Neither option seemed in character for her former teacher, and though she was eager to find out the meaning behind those words, trying to unravel the mystery did nothing more than make her head hurt. She would ask him what he had meant, even if she was afraid of his answer, but for now she had to focus on the mission, even if it meant another fruitless night of dancing without finding the targets she sought.

The last thing she felt like doing was applying copious amounts of makeup and fixing her hair, but it all came with the job. The art of transforming herself into a sultry vixen had lost some of its appeal after doing it night after night, but she made do, applying her makeup in various shades of pinks and purples to go with the pink outfit she was wearing. It was the very same one she had worn her first night working at Wet Dreams. She didn't like wearing pink, figuring she already had to deal with her unusual hair color, but she couldn't seem to make herself care that night. She curled her hair and slipped on black fishnet thigh highs and the same black heels she had worn during the day.

She was in no mood to play the seductress, but she had to do her best.

XXXXX

With the music blaring and the lights flashing, Sakura found it a little easier to slip into character. Her body seemed to operate on autopilot, her hips swaying and her hands wandering over her own body without much thought. A glance at the back of the room revealed that Kakashi was indeed at his usual spot at the bar, but his presence didn't give her the thrill it normally did, their argument and coupling in his motel hallway still fresh in her mind.

The sex had been fantastic, no doubt about that, but his dominance and refusal to stop even when she had pleaded scared her a little. Kakashi was acting strangely, getting angry about things that shouldn't have bothered him if their sexual relationship really was just for the sake of their mission. She needed to talk to him about it and ask him about his true feelings even though it scared her. It frightened her because it would mean examining her own feelings towards him.

She didn't have time to ponder the topic further, for one song ended and another began, signaling it was time to remove her top.

She climbed up effortlessly onto the smooth, metal pole, hanging upside down with her legs wrapped around the pole to hold her secure. While suspended, she pulled the strings on her bikini top and let it fall to the floor, watching her enthusiastic audience cheer her on from a skewed perspective.

There sure were a lot of them there, men of all ages, all hair colors and all heights. She had even spotted a man who had hair the same color as her own, although he had practically shaved it off, leaving only a few centimeters of fuzz to betray he too was a natural pinkie.

She continued to scan the crowd, taking in her adoring fans when her eyes rested on a particular man. Unlike the others, he wasn't waving money at her or hollering cat calls, but merely watching her quietly with a smirk on his lips, arms folded over his chest.

She focused in on him, still upside down, and his smirk deepened as if he knew she was watching him. Light colored hair. Clean shaven jaw, a broad forehead and sharp nose. Sakura gasped aloud and nearly fell from her pole when her eyes met his, and felt something cold clench in the pit of her stomach.

His eyes. His eyes were a near supernatural shade of yellow green.

It appeared that Sakura didn't have to look anymore, for her target had come to her.

XXXXX

That's all for now. The next update might be long in coming since I have a 15 page paper to write for one of my classes. Bleh!


	19. Chapter 19

Hello all. I am ecstatic to announce that my 15 page paper of doom is behind me so I don't have to worry about that distracting me from writing anymore. As always, thank you for all your reviews and support. I've received some lovely fanart for this story from Cynchick, Oceanangel01 and Rogue-Trinity and I would just like to say thank you. I adore fanart and I love seeing how others visualize the scenes I portray through words.

Attention: This chapter is darker than the rest of the story and I am aware many of you will not like it and that I might even lose some readers over it. There are non consensual sexual acts in this chapter. You have been warned so I don't want to hear complaints about unexpectedly harsh subject matter. Not all stories can be fluffy and nice and this is a fic that explores the darker side of things. There is plenty of angst ahead so if you don't want to read it, turn back now.

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Stripped Bare- Chapter 19

Sakura could feel her pulse immediately quicken as she stared down at those translucent yellow eyes. He was here, right in front of her, and judging by the smirk on his lips and the way he watched her every movement, he was very interested.

She finished dancing to her set of songs, twining her body sensually around the tall metal pole, but not once did her eyes leave his. She would be damned if he got away again.

She licked her lips and cupped her breasts, giving him the most sultry look that she could muster, but inside she was practically quaking as nervous energy and adrenaline mounted. This was it, the moment she had been preparing for. She was going to seduce this man and get the information that would finally give them a means to complete this mission, even if it meant sleeping with him.

She slid down the pole and onto her knees to crawl to the edge of the stage, all in one fluid motion. Biting glossy lips, she ground against the floor, hips working up and down until the song came to an end. The yellow eyed man in the audience merely smiled and held up a stack of bills that had to be at least a quarter of an inch thick. It seemed he intended to pay her well for the services he desired.

As the lights dimmed in preparation for Tsurenai's solo act, Sakura descended from her platform to find her target waiting for her.

"You've improved quite a bit since we last spoke," he said, bending low to place his lips near her ear so she could hear him over the din of the club. "Have you reconsidered my offer? I still want more than just a dance."

His voice was warm and smooth, betraying him as someone far more sophisticated than the brainless thugs she was accustomed to dealing with.

Sakura wondered, not for the first time, if she was severely in over her head in trying to seduce this man.

She didn't answer his question but simply gave him a slight nod and a carefully practiced look of pure desire.

He followed her when she caught his wrist in her hand and began to pull him towards the booths on the end. The one nearest the wall was unoccupied and she led him inside, ignoring the suggestive wink Juu gave her as she passed. She was unaware of the single eye trained on her, peering out beneath a dark hat and following her movements to the room built for one sinful purpose.

Kakashi couldn't believe their target had appeared so quickly. The night had just begun and already Yellow was inside that room with his former student. He supposed he should have been elated at the thought of finally being able to make progress on this mission, but the only thing he was aware of was the terrible feeling that he was being torn apart from the inside out, like his heart was shattering, which was odd. He was certain his heart had nothing to do with Sakura, but as he watched the door swing shut on the couple from his seat at the bar, he was suddenly not so sure anymore.

XXXXX

Sakura's heart was hammering against her ribcage even as she outwardly maintained her demur appearance, gesturing for the man before her to have a seat on the bed. She was still topless after her performance and her target wasn't subtle at all about letting his eyes sweep over her exposed curves.

"So what brought you all the way back here?" she asked, walking towards him with an extra swish in her hips. Her voice was low and sultry despite her inner panic, for the entire mission depended on the success of this encounter.

His mouthy quirked in a smirk, displaying a surprising dimple in his left cheek. Sakura supposed he really was an attractive man…in a strangely forgettable way.

"I came back here to see you. It's not often I'm turned down by a girl. You fascinate me."

"Apparently so," Sakura mused, eyes flicking to the stack of cash he still held in his hand. "You certainly are willing to pay a pretty penny for me."

The man shrugged as the kunoichi took the cash and put it on the worn night stand along with the money she had made while dancing.

She faced him and began to swivel her hips to the slow, sensuous music pumping softly through the speaker hidden somewhere in the room.

"What do you do for a living that allows you to spend so recklessly?" she probed, hoping to get some clues about his association with the missing girls.

His amused smirk deepened as he settled back to appreciate the private performance she was giving him.

"That, my dear, is a secret."

Sakura should have known cracking him wouldn't be so easy. If what Kakashi said was true, this man was an extremely high level shinobi, and he wouldn't crumble under simple interrogation tactics, even if they were being administered by a half naked woman.

He sat on the edge of the bed, reclining back on his hands, a pose that made instantly defending himself difficult. Apparently, he didn't perceive her as any kind of threat.

She continued to dance for him, arching her back and molding her breasts with her own small hands. His eyes drank in her lithe form appreciatively, especially when she began to edge down the waistband of her simple pink thong.

Their eyes met for a moment and she was surprised by the intensity of his gaze. His unusual eye color made him striking, but his hungry expression lacked the cloudy haze that usually came with lust. His eyes were as sharp and intelligent as ever.

Without looking away, she pulled her panties over her shapely hips and let them slide down her legs to a satin heap on the floor. Only then did the mysterious man break eye contact to gaze at the place she had just revealed.

"Very nice," he breathed, clearly liking what he saw.

Sakura said nothing, stepping out of the dainty garment and making her way towards him, wearing nothing now but high heels, thigh high fishnets, and a sultry expression.

She moved to straddle him, a knee sinking onto the bed on either side of his thighs. She molded her body to him, feeling the fabric of his clothing brush against her naked sex even as every fiber of her being wanted nothing more than to run away. It felt so wrong doing this with this strange man. Kakashi had made her feel safe and secure and sexy, and while this man certainly desired her, she had no delusionss about how dangerous he really was.

"So where do you spend your time when you're not here?" she whispered in his ear.

"Here and there. I move around a lot," he replied cryptically, once again giving Sakura none of the information she was hoping for.

His body was incredibly firm and defined, even through the jacket and thick pants he wore, and she was so close to him now that she could smell the scent lingering around him. He smelled like earth and pine and sweat, a shinobi's smell. But despite the obvious clues that hinted he was a ninja just like she was, she couldn't detect his chakra at all. Considering what Kakashi had said about this man's skill, Sakura could only assume he was exceptionally good at hiding it from her.

His hands came up to rest lightly on her naked hips, his fingers tracing the jutting curve of her hipbone as she spoke.

"So, what do you like? How do you want me?" she asked, her voice dropping into a low and sexy register that told him she was all business, although the business she had in mind was quite different from the adult play he was no doubt expecting.

Their faces were just a few inches apart, her emerald gaze once again captivated by yellow-green. His voice was rich and smooth when he spoke, and she imagined many a girl had melted at the sound of it. However, it only served to remind her that this man wasn't Kakashi, even though she didn't know why that should stand out so clearly in her mind.

"What I like," he said, echoing her question. "Is total control over both mind and body."

Sakura pulled back slightly, a little confused by his answer.

"I've had customers with a taste for a variety of kinks, but I'm not sure if I follow you," she said.

"Is that so?" he asked, a dark note creeping into his voice that the woman before him didn't like at all. "Well then, my dear kunoichi, allow me to show you what I mean."

Before she could even register that he indeed knew what she was, she felt a prick at the back of her neck. The hand on her hips had dipped into his jacked pocket and then reached to the back of her neck quicker than her eyes could follow. She tried to push him away but an arm snaked around her waist and held her to him as he pushed the plunger on the syringe down until the whole of its contents was emptied into Sakura's blood stream.

Realizing her predicament, she summoned chakra to her hands and shoved him away with super human strength, sending him sprawling across the bed as she stumbled backwards. Already she could feel something cold flowing through her system, making her limbs feel heavy and numb.

"What the fuck did you just inject me with?" she hissed, trying to focus more chakra into her fists, but it seemed whatever substance was now inside of her had tampered with her ability to control her own energy.

"It's a complex cocktail of the most advanced truth serums, sedatives and brain washing drugs," the man answered, his voice still dark and rich and apparently unfazed by the sample of super strength she had displayed. "I doubt even a medic of your caliber could decipher the ingredients without having the precise formula."

Already, she was putting her medic skills to use as she tried to metabolize the alien substance in her veins, hoping to break it down and purge it before it could do any real damage, but it seemed the drug was working faster than her body could expel it.

"You bastard," she spat poisonously, her voice as fiery as ever even as her body began to weaken. "So you're the one behind the missing girls."

He stood from the bed and bowed gracefully, like a cordial gentleman rather than an enemy shinobi.

"I'm afraid you've found me out," he chuckled, his tone dark and dangerous as he advanced towards her. Sakura tried to sink into a fighting stance but it was incredibly difficult when the world seemed to be spinning, not to mention she was in high heels and nude from the thighs up. She didn't even have any kunai with her to help compensate her rapid loss of chakra control.

"I'm going to fucking kill you," she threatened, even as she wobbled on jelly like legs.

The mysterious man smiled, shaking his head as he clucked his tongue disapprovingly.

"Not today my dear. I'm afraid you've lost this battle."

As if on cue, Sakura collapsed, her limbs completely useless, and no amount of willpower would force them to move even an inch.

The man caught her as she fell, scooping her up in his arms as if she weighed nothing and carried her limp form to the bed where he laid her out on her back. She gave no more resistance than a rag doll as he stood over her, taking in the sight of her body with cunning, hungry eyes.

"I must admit, when I head they were sending a Konoha kunoichi, I had hoped for someone exotic like a Hyuuga, but to think that the Hokage sent her own apprentice…it's quite a surprise."

Shock overtook the pink haired woman, but even her facial muscles refused to respond, making it impossible for her to show any emotion at his words. She wanted to ask him how the hell he knew about her and what village the man came from but her mouth refused to move.

"You're probably wondering what is happening to your body, because a skilled medic like yourself has no doubt already tried to metabolize the drug, am I right?"

Sakura couldn't have nodded if she wanted to, but the man seemed to know that and pressed on.

"I had to give you double the dosage I would have given to any other woman just to make sure you didn't burn it off and regain control. It was certainly a risky maneuver considering it could have killed you but it looks like the drug is working beautifully."

She supposed this was indeed an incredible drug. She could see and hear him perfectly, but her entire body from head to toe, seemed completely paralyzed.

"You are now in what is called 'open mode'," he explained. "Your body is waiting for someone to input their chakra to bind you to them. Right now the binding will only be temporary, but later, it will be permanent."

Sakura wasn't sure what any of that meant, and couldn't even form the words to ask him. All she could do is watch as he sat on the bed next to her and raised a palm glowing with chakra to her bare abdomen.

"For the next hour," he said, his voice warm and sexy but also slightly malevolent. "You will be mine, body and soul."

He pressed his hand to her stomach and immediately Sakura could feel the tingle of his chakra invading her body. It seemed to mingle with the drug that was already inside her and warm her where the injected substance had chilled. After a moment he removed his hand, and though she didn't feel quite so weak and sedated, her body still refused to heed her command.

"Now," the man said, repositioning himself so that he was kneeling on the bed between her slightly splayed legs. "You will act every bit the sexual temptress you've trained to be. Your body will be unusually sensitive and will respond naturally to everything I do to you."

Immediately, Sakura was able to move again, she could wiggle her fingers and toes and lick dry lips. Her eyes narrowed into what had to be a sultry stare and she was aware of her back arching slightly without any intention of doing so, but no matter how she screamed at herself to get up and fight him, her body continued to lie on the bed. It appeared her body was obeying his commands and acting the part of the seductress without her consent.

The man above her must have seen a change in her, for he chuckled darkly, his yellow eyes gleaming with lust.

"Good girl," he praised, bringing his hands to stroke along her inner thighs. "Now open you legs for me."

Just the feeling of his hands on her skin sent delicious tingles through her, sensations that were far too intense for the simple way he was touching her. She wondered if even her nerve endings were responding to his command to be more sensitive, but it seemed her legs certainly obeyed, for they spread themselves wide, blatantly displaying her feminine folds to him.

"Oh yeah," he practically growled, clearly approving of the sight before him. "Now get wet for me. I want you drenched."

No sooner had he said the words, Sakura felt a familiar warmth low in the pit of her stomach that gradually spread to her loins. With the heat came the burning liquid sensation of desire and Sakura realized she was becoming aroused simply because he had told her to. His hands merely rested on her thighs and she received no other stimulus, but soon she could feel her sex growing damp. Despite her fervent attempts to close her legs, she remained motionless, save for the unconscious quickening of her breath and steady rise and fall of her chest.

She could tell by his feral smile that he could see her getting wet for him right before his eyes, but she remained powerless to do anything about it.

"Isn't this drug amazing?" he asked with a smirk. "You'll do anything I say now that you have both the drug and my chakra in your system, no matter what it is. I could tell you to slit your partner's throat the next time you're in bed with him and you would do it without even hesitating.

A small gasp escaped Sakura's lips, but whether it was because this man knew about her secret with Kakashi, or because her sex had begun to throb with need, she wasn't sure.

Apparently her captor thought it was a sound of surprise, for his smirk widened into a smile, revealing perfect teeth.

"That's right, Sakura. I know all kinds of things about you. I know how you were a sweet little virgin until you asked your ex-sensei to pop your cherry. I must say, that's kinky stuff."

His smug grin was infuriating and Sakura tried her hardest to lift her hand and deliver a punch that would, with any luck, shatter his entire jaw and disfigure that strangely handsome face of his. The only result she got however was there mere twitching of a finger.

"I've heard how you scream for him," he continued, clearly enjoying baiting her when she was helpless to retaliate. "You're loud even when he's fucking you in a motel hallway. My room is right next to his, so I heard it all, loud and clear, even the part about you not wanting to have to sleep with me. "

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. Their target had been staying in the room next to Kakashi's this whole time? It was almost too much to bear. It was like he was purposely mocking them, confident that they would never be able to catch him.

"It's been a long time since I've had a kunoichi," he chuckled, shifting his gaze from her face back to where she was spread open before him. "Shinobi pussy is always the best. It's so tight and hot and can take the abuse a normal woman's can't."

Sakura tried to tell him to get the hell off of her before she tore him to pieces, but all that came out was a small whimper that sounded horribly needy.

Her pitiful noises only amused the man on top of her. His lustful eyes were fixed on her sweet pink flesh as he brought his hand to her opening and inserted a single finger into the place he had forcibly aroused.

Sakura gasped as she felt him slide inside her, her muscles immediately clamping down on him and rippling rhythmically. She squirmed, hips arching to meet his invading digit even as her mind screamed at her to get away.

"You feel how wet you are?" the man growled mockingly, pumping his finger in and out of her slowly, making sure she noticed how he slid easily along her slick passage. "I haven't even touched you and you're already soaked, just because I told you to get wet."

He inserted a second digit and sped up his ministrations, smirking as Sakura began to buck and moan softly.

"That's it baby, moan for me like you love it. Show me how bad you want it."

Pleasured sounds fell uninhibited from the kunoichi's lips, her hands fisting in the twisted sheets as unnatural amounts of pleasure assaulted her body. She certainly wasn't an expert on sex, but after her experiences with Kakashi, she knew the way his fingers stroked her shouldn't be enough to make her feel this good. This was the drug at work, her mind obeying his command to feel pleasure even if she didn't want to.

Soon she was a sweating, writhing mess, a truly wanton creature whose only words were the incoherent pleas for more, even if her mind was still fiercely trying to snap her body out of its obedient state.

She fixed her gaze on the man hovering over her, his eyes lustfully drinking in her naked form and a smug smile on his lips. She vowed that she would wipe that infuriating expression off his face no matter what it took. Unfortunately she was in no position to do so as he plunged twin fingers especially deep into her core, extracting a sob of pleasure from her trembling lips.

Satisfied, he withdrew, leaving her womb aching and empty, feminine muscles flexing as they searched for something hot and hard to fill the void within. He held up the fingers that had been encased inside her, and even in the poor lighting she could see them glisten, thoroughly coated with the proof of her arousal.

Even without his fingers inside her, her hips continued to move restlessly and tiny moans escaped her lips, something that seemed to amuse him greatly.

"Look at you, you dirty girl," he crowed. "You can't wait to have my cock inside you."

Rising panic filled the kunoichi's already frantic mind as he stood, discarding his jacket and pulling the shirt he wore underneath over his head. His body was well sculpted, powerful muscles flexing beneath pale, scared skin. He lacked the lean, sinewy look Kakashi possessed, baring broader shoulders and bulkier muscles. His hand went to the fly of his pants and Sakura's mouth went dry. So this was really going to happen. She was going to sleep with another, but it seemed the situation was even worse than she had imagined. Not only was she defenseless, but she lacked willpower all together. He could violate her any way he wanted, and the worst part was that if he told her to like it, she would.

His pants dropped to the floor, revealing his erect member which he slowly pumped in his hand. He wasn't as long as Kakashi, but he made up for it in girth, and Sakura was fairly certain that if he didn't tell her body to enjoy the feel of him inside her, it was going to hurt.

He stood over the pink haired woman a moment, admiring the prize he was about to claim. Sakura's unresponsive limbs continued to fail her. She would have been less helpless even if she were bound with chakra enhanced wire. She couldn't just lay here and let him have his way with her. She just couldn't!

Even though her tongue felt like a lead weight inside her mouth and her lips refused to obey, she mustered every ounce of strength she had. She simply couldn't watch without doing something.

He knelt between her legs, guiding his manhood to her opening when softly whispered words made him pause.

"N-no…stop…it…"

He cocked his head to the side quizzically in an almost comical display, clearly surprised she had managed to outwardly defy him, even if it was just with words.

"What was that?" he said slowly.

"D-don't…touch…m-me."

Her words were thick and slurred, and the effort of speaking them left her exhausted, but she refused to let him think he could have her so easily.

An amused smiled slowly spread over his face, replacing his astonished expression.

"You're stronger than I thought, kunoichi," he chuckled. "Nobody has been able to resist me after they've been injected, but a few words won't save you."

Sakura could only watch as he pressed forward, sucking in her breath as he felt the blunt tip of his cock press against her moistened folds.

He leaned forward, planting his hands on either side of her head and gazed down at her, yellow eyes seeming to look past her own eyes and directly into her mind.

"You will no longer resist me," he ordered, his smooth voice now slightly raspy with lust. "You don't want to resist me. Right now you want nothing more than for me to fuck you. You'll moan for me, and respond eagerly to every thrust. It will be the best thing you have ever felt, but you won't come until I tell you to."

Ask he spoke the words, Sakura could feel her resolve weakening, and the molten heat in her loins flare white hot. Even as her analytical mind tried to reason with herself and tell it not to be deceived, she knew she was slipping away, her will bending as she submitted to her enemy completely.

Suddenly, it was unbearable to feel him teasing her outer lips. She wanted him deep inside her, but he seemed content to continue his maddening actions, sliding his cock over velvet folds until she was half crazed with need.

The effects he had on her did not go unnoticed, and the mysterious man smiled down at her, his voice holding tones of dark delight.

"What's the matter baby?" he leered, rubbing the head of his manhood over her swollen clit and chuckling when she whimpered in response. "What do you want?"

"Put it in me," Sakura panted, gripping the sheets so hard her knuckles were white. "I want you inside."

Her voice was strained and pleading and her eyes were begging him to grant her request, but the man above her only smirked.

"Tell me how bad you want it," he rasped angling his hips to grind his cock against her clit over and over again, making her moan and writhe and tremble. "Beg for it."

"Please," Sakura whispered. "Please put it inside. I'll go crazy if you don't."

The words she spoke were no longer her own but she didn't care. She was overtaken by the all consuming need to be fulfilled by this man. Her body burned, and her sex ached, longing to be filled with the hot length that was so tantalizingly close, and yet so far away. She knew this was wrong, knew that she had a job to do, but somehow she didn't care. All that mattered was making the horrible gnawing ache stop.

"I can't hear you," he growled, not satisfied by her needy whispers.

"Please," the kunoichi repeated, hips bucking upwards as she tried to impale himself on his length. "Give me your cock!"

"Tell me you want me to fuck you," he ordered, lips twisted in a cruel smirk as the once formidable kunoichi before him was reduced to a wanton creature completely under his command.

"Fuck me!" she sobbed. "Fuck me hard!"

Without warning, the man pulled away, leaving Sakura confused and unfulfilled, but when he lied down next to her, hard cock jutting proudly into the air, she knew what he wanted.

"Come here," he ordered, and she obediently crawled atop him and straddled his hips, looking at his manhood hungrily.

"You want it bad don't you," he chuckled and she nodded, pink tongue running over plump lips as hazy green eyes remained fixed to his cock.

He grasped her hips in both hands and roughly pulled her forward, centering the apex of her thighs over his swollen length.

"Ride me," he commanded, yellow eyes flashing dangerously, drunk with power and lust. "Ride me hard and fast."

Sakura eagerly took him in her hands and guided him to her entrance, nearly giddy with the prospect of finally having him inside. She felt his smooth head part her slick folds, moaning at the incredible feeling of his unbelievable thickness. Suddenly, his hands pushed her hips down and she was impaled to the hilt by his thick, throbbing length. She threw back her head and screamed in pure, unadulterated pleasure as her vision went white and every nerve ending blazed. He was stretching her, filling her, finally easing that empty ache inside of her. She could feel him pulsing deep within her like a living thing as her tight womb contracted around him, sucking him in as if to keep him there eternity.

It was the most exquisite thing she had ever felt.

XXXXX

Kakashi gripped the glass in his hand tightly, but he had forgotten all about drinking its contents. His eyes remained fixed on the door Sakura had disappeared behind with the target they had been so diligently searching for.

He should have been thrilled that this mission was finally going some where, but all he was aware of was the growing knot in his stomach and the heavy weight on his chest. He was anxious and frustrated and slightly nauseous all at the same time, although he couldn't give a logical explanation for any of the sensations he was feeling.

All he could think about was the fact that behind that door, Sakura was having sex with another man.

The pretty female bartender had asked him if he needed anything twice already and both times he had distractedly waved her away, but now she came over, resting her elbows on the bar, watching him watch the door with his single uncovered eye.

"You know," she sighed. "I see you come in here night after night. You never talk to anyone, just order a drink or two and stare at that girl. You should either tell her how you feel or move on."

"What?" Kakashi asked, finally shifting his focus away from the booths to look at the woman speaking to him. She was young, like all the other women here. She had long dark hair, her porcelain skin dusted with freckles over the bridge of her nose. Her plentiful bust was well presented in a low cut top, no doubt a valuable asset in collecting generous tips. She had been manning the bar nearly every night for the past few weeks and it appeared she had been studying his behavior more closely than he realized.

"I know you have a thing for her. I can tell it just by looking at you," she smiled, pale blue eyes meeting his. "You should either do something about it or walk away, although I have to warn you, getting involved with a girl like her is going to bring you nothing but pain. She's from a different world than you."

Kakashi had heard that employees who weren't dancers didn't live upstairs, so it appeared this woman hadn't heard about his so called "date" with Sakura. Still, it unnerved him that he was being so obvious about his interest in Sakura that even this stranger had noticed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the Copy nin replied, feigning ignorance and looking down into the amber contents of his glass.

The woman shook her head knowingly.

"You can play dumb if you want, but I just wanted to warn you. Falling in love with a stripper never ends well. Remember that."

With that, she walked away to refill the glasses of other noisy patrons, unaware that her simple words had left Kakashi completely stunned.

Falling in love? Falling in love with Sakura?

As much as Kakashi wanted to shrug off her statement, claiming she knew nothing about the situation, her words had struck a chord deep within him.

Love? Kakashi Hatake didn't fall in love. He had sworn it off, thinking it did nothing but leave pain and misery in its wake. He had loved his father, only to be shamed and betrayed by him. He had loved his sensei, only to have the mighty Fourth Hokage torn away by the ravages of war. He had loved Obito but had to watch him die, powerless to do anything to save him. And he had loved Rin in a way that he had never loved another before. She was his first and only romantic love, evoking emotions in him he hadn't even been old enough to understand, and yet, he couldn't save her either. Love was something he couldn't afford, for it would hurt both him and the person he was emotionally invested in. Kakashi had sex, lots of hot steamy sex full of lust and passion, but no love. He had friends, but always kept them at an arms length so that when the day came for them to leave this world, it wouldn't hurt quite so badly. He couldn't be in love. He refused to be in love.

But then why did everything make sense when he entertained the thought that he was?

The magnetic attraction that he couldn't escape, the euphoria when he was with her, the loneliness when he wasn't, the deep fear of letting her down, the anger, jealousy and pain that came with her being in that room with another at this very moment.

No. It couldn't be. He wasn't in love. He wasn't.

Abruptly, Kakashi stood, abandoning his drink as he made his way through the flashing lights and bustling crowd to the bathroom. He stepped into the stark contrast of white tile and fluorescent light, letting his eyes adjust to the brightness. There was nobody else in the bathroom so he locked the door behind him, walking over to the row of sinks inlaid in a counter top covered in cheap laminate made to look like granite.

He leaned against the cool surface and stared at himself in the mirror.

He was not in love with Sakura. He couldn't be. The whole idea of it was just wrong. She was his former student, and he had only slept with her for the good of the mission, although even he couldn't delude himself into thinking that all the bouts of sweaty, passionate sex after were for anything but his own satisfaction.

She was good in bed, and Kakashi had wanted more, but he couldn't help it if he was a lecherous old man. She was young and nubile with a knockout body and the way she moaned when he was inside her was something he would never forget. But what about all those other moments, the way he held her close afterwards, or the way his chest tightened when she smiled at him? He had treated her differently than he did other woman, taking her away to train for a day, and buying her that red swim suit she looked so good in. He had thought it was because they had prior history as teacher and student and that set her apart. He couldn't treat her as disposable because she was a team mate, but now he was wondering if there was more to it than that. He didn't want to be in love, but he was starting to realize that there really wasn't any other explanation for his actions. Perhaps it had started as pure lust, but somewhere along the way, his heart had gotten involved and the Copy ninja had done something he swore he would never do again.

Kakashi was in love.

"Fuck," he breathed in both astonishment and fear. He was in love. Now what the hell was he supposed to do? Tell her? He couldn't do that, for Sakura had made it clear that their sexual involvement was solely for the sake of this mission. For all he knew, she was still head over heels for the Uchiha, although he honestly couldn't understand why.

"Fuck!" he said again, this time with frustration.

"Mmm…oh…oh!"

Kakashi was immediately alert as the enraptured sounds of a woman reached his ears. Just where the hell was that coming from?

"Oh yes! Oh…oh yes! Fuck me just like that! Oh that's so goooood!"

Suddenly, his whole body tensed. He knew that voice. Oh god how he knew that voice. But he didn't want to hear it. Not now, not when she was with somebody else.

"Ahh! Harder! Oh fuck. Oooooh!"

Looking into the mirror, Kakashi could see a vent on the wall behind him. Envisioning the club's layout in his mind, he knew that the men's bathroom was on the wall adjacent to the booths, and Sakura had gone into the one on the very end, closest to the men's bathroom.

Sakura was on the other side of that wall, and her vocalizations left no question to what she was currently doing.

"Yes! Oh please! Oh…god!"

Kakashi's hands gripped the counter's edge so hard he was in danger of cracking it. He was staring into the mirror but his eye was unseeing, for in his head his mind was conjuring up possible images that could accompany the sounds Sakura was making, and he didn't like any of them.

"That's it baby, ride me like an animal. Ride me hard!"

It was a man speaking now, no doubt the one in there with his partner, and though he wanted to turn away, to leave, he kept listening, his keen hearing picking up on the faint sound of flesh slapping against flesh, of bed springs creaking, of harsh breaths and the slick, wet sounds that Sakura's sex made when she was incredibly aroused.

"Mmmm! Ahhhh! Ahhhhh!"

A sharp pain stabbed at Kakashi's chest, but it cut deeper than any kunai blade. He had been so careful about shielding himself from emotional pain that he had forgotten how much it hurt. But now, he knew that his heart was breaking, shattering inside his chest as he listened to Sakura talk dirtier than he had ever heard her before. She was moaning louder, wilder, like she was someone he didn't even know. Perhaps this was what happened when Hana took over Sakura's body. Perhaps this was the dark, sultry creature Sakura transformed herself into when behind closed doors. It was all for the sake of he mission, but Kakashi realized he didn't give a damn about the mission anymore. He wanted Sakura, the real Sakura. He wanted to be the only one to make her moan like that, to hold her close and stroke her hair, to kiss that silky skin. He couldn't stand the thought of her with another because…

Because he loved her.

"Oh fuuuuuck!"

Her enraptured cries were too much for him. He turned away from the mirror and left the bathroom, the thunderous bass that greeted him in the club drowning out the rapid beating of his own heart. He was furious and wounded and confused and afraid and sick and broken, all at the same time. He wanted to leave. He had to get out of here where he could be alone, preferably with a large amount of alcohol. He didn't want to think about Sakura anymore. He didn't even want to see the color pink, for it would no doubt remind him of her long flowing hair, and soft lips and blushing cheeks. Perhaps it was a good thing then that the obstacle blocking his way was an alluring shade of purple.

"Hello," a sultry voice whispered.

Kakashi stood blinking in confusion. He hadn't gotten very far from the bathroom before a beautiful woman blocked his way. She was completely naked, save for a pair of white stilettos with an impressive five inch heel and a jeweled barrette in her hair. Despite the shoes, she moved like water, all fluid grace and sensuality.

"In the mood for a dance?" she whispered, glossy lips shimmering in the shifting lights.

Kakashi would have turned her down in any other case, but a dark side of him jumped at the chance to forget about Sakura, and perhaps inflict on her a little of the pain he was currently feeling.

"How much?" he asked.

The lips curved into a dazzling smile.

"I'm curious about you. I always see you sitting at the bar but you talk to no one. I'm feeling generous so I'll give you a discount."

"Must be my lucky night," Kakashi replied, allowing the beauty to take his hand and lead him towards one of the smaller booths that, thankfully was on the opposite end of Sakura's.

Juu closed the door behind them, leaving Kakashi alone in the small room with a naked and smiling Tsurenai.

XXXXX

Sakura could feel the rawness in her throat from screaming, but she couldn't seem to stop.

Her hips rocked ceaselessly, up, down and around, driving his cock deep inside her tight passage which she couldn't recall ever being so wet. Every time he thrust up into her, colors exploded across her vision and another cry was torn from her lips.

At his request to talk dirty, she had uttered obscene sentences she hadn't even thought herself capable of saying, and yet she felt no shame, no inhibition, just the burning need to ride hard and fast towards climax.

She looked down at him, his jaw clenched against the pleasure of her grinding hips. She knew this wasn't what she wanted. She did not want to have sex with this man, and she did not want to throw away her only chance to extract valuable information from the suspected culprit, but the knowledge did nothing to stop the way she bounced enthusiastically atop him.

His yellow eyes, though clouded with lust, seemed to watch her carefully, drinking in her every movement, and his mouth was still curved in a self satisfied smile even as she slammed her hips down on him, taking him inside to the hilt.

"You like riding me like that, don't you?" he chuckled, his hands gripping her hips hard and guiding her pelvis in its rapid motions. "You like fucking me hard."

"Yes," Sakura moaned as an intense wave of pleasure rippled through her, shooting up her spine and radiating through out her entire being. The pleasure was a nearly constant stream, an unnatural flow of sensations so intense that it bordered on painful. The rough way she was driving herself onto him also should have hurt her sensitive flesh, but his commands to enjoy herself had overridden her pain receptors, her body now interpreting the sensations as searing pleasure.

"Do you want to come?" he growled, eyes focused on her small breasts bouncing with every movement and her face contorted in ecstasy.

"Yes, please!" she sobbed, despite the fact that she inwardly wondered if her body could even handle an orgasm on top of what she was currently feeling.

The man below her chuckled again, letting a hand stray from her hips to come down hard on the toned cheek of her ass, extracting another delighted cry from the pink haired woman.

"Then beg for it," he ordered, roughly squeezing the flesh he had just spanked.

"Oh, please, please let me come!" Sakura sobbed, as she continued to rock fervently against him, loving the feeling of her tight hole being stretched by his thickness. She was uncaring of the slick, slurping sounds of her drenched sex or the squeak of the bedsprings as they protesting her unabashed movements. All she cared about was the sensation of being filled by him, because that was what he had told her to want.

"More," he commanded through clenched teeth as he thrust up to meet her pistoning hips. "Tell me how bad you want it."

"Please!" Sakura whimpered. "I need it so bad, it hurts. I'm so close, so please. Please let me!"

A sadistic grin split his handsome face, amused by her wanton request.

"Alright baby. Come for me. Come hard and scream. It's the best one you you've ever had."

Instantly, Sakura's vision was awash in white as her womb clenched painfully tight before erupting in spasms so intense, her whole body shook with the force of it. She was aware of a feminine voice all but howling in rapture, but couldn't make the connection that it was her own. Never had she felt something so intense and primal and pleasurable. It practically knocked the wind out of her, forcing her to collapse forward onto his naked chest as she shuddered uncontrollably. It felt like she was being torn apart from within, like a beautifully violent torrent was racing through her and there would be nothing left when it passed.

So caught up was she in her release that she didn't hear the swearing of her enemy as her pussy clamped around him with vice like strength. She was only vaguely aware of him tossing her body backwards so she was on her back, head at the foot of the bed. By the time full consciousness returned, her legs were already spread wide, an ankle in each of his callused hands, and he was pumping into her with animalistic ferocity at a pace that was sure to rub her raw.

"You're a little wildcat," he panted, voice choppy and breathless from the exertion of his movements. "The boss is going to love you."

Sakura should have been concerned by his words, but responded instead with a shuddering moan, hands grasping madly at the sheets as the force of his thrusts made her whole body rock, her back sliding back and fourth over the bed's surface. Her long, pink hair, cascaded in waves over the edge of the bed as he continued to claim her mercilessly, and despite the intensity of her last orgasm, which should have left her completely drained, when he told her she still wanted it, she found that the aching need returned and couldn't help but buck wildly to meet his jarring thrusts.

XXXXX

Kakashi watched the naked woman before him as she glided gracefully across the small space and gestured for him to sit in the single chair in the center of the room. He was wary, knowing it was highly unusual for Tsurenai to go after men on her own when she had countless customers begging for a turn with her. However, he was not nearly as cautious as he should have been, his head still spinning with the realization of his feelings for Sakura, and the immense pain of hearing her impassioned cries as she made love to someone else.

"Have a seat and make yourself comfortable," she purred, her voice silky and soft and oozing sexuality.

Never taking his eyes from her, Kakashi obediently lowered himself into the simple, wooden chair, wondering what the hell he was doing here. He wasn't quite sure why he had said yes to Tsurenai's offer. From what Sakura said, there was something suspicious about this woman, something dangerous. This could be his chance to find out what, but he wasn't much in the mood for mission work anymore, not when his mind replayed Sakura's pleasured screams over and over in his mind.

She stood before him, all bronzed skin and wisteria hair. Everything about her spoke of sex, those shapely hips and bountiful breasts capped with nipples that were already hard. Every movement was sensual and meant to arouse. It was no wonder she was the headlining act for this place. She had seduction down to a fine art.

"What's your name?" she asked, turquoise eyes searching his face as if trying to see beneath the layers covering his face.

"I don't give out my name to strangers," Kakashi replied, voice calm in spite of his inner turmoil. "It's a principle of mine."

"I see," she mused, stepping closer. "Is it also a principle not to let strangers see your face?"

"Something like that," he replied, noting that because his seated position and her high heeled shoes, Tsurenai towered above him.

"You're an interesting person," she smiled, bringing a knee up to nudge his until they parted and allowed her to rest on the edge of the chair. "And the fact that you're not already begging me to fuck your brains out is also unusual."

She rested her hands on the back of the chair and leaned in, pressing her impressive breasts into Kakashi's face until they were almost touching him. The knee on the chair slid forward until it was grinding against his groin with just enough pressure to be pleasant, but not enough to really be satisfying.

"You caught me off guard," Kakashi said, eyes fixed on the flawless globes that were just out of reach. "You don't seem like the type to hunt down your clients when you already have them waiting in line for you.'

"And you don't seem like the type to ever let your guard down."

Kakashi shifted his eyes to her face, wondering what sort of game she was playing. Her smile was sexy, but dangerous, a femme fatale if he ever saw one. There was no doubt that she was beautiful and sinfully sexy. Her body, though lacking the muscularity and power of Sakura's, was calling to him, and if his thoughts hadn't been full of another woman, he just might have succumbed to her siren song.

"Why do you come here every night?" she asked, her knee persisting in rubbing enticingly against him. "I never see you do anything but drink. You don't talk to anyone, and you don't get close to us when we perform. You just watch."

Kakashi shrugged, his single dark eye giving away nothing.

"I like a little eye candy to go with my booze."

Tsurenai smirked knowingly.

"I suppose you have a taste for strawberry flavored candy then?"

Kakashi stiffened but said nothing, and the woman above him laughed softly.

"I saw you accept a lap dance from her, but after that, you never approached her again. You just watch her obsessively. It's really quite strange," she whispered softly.

"She's got a great body and knows how to give a decent lap dance," he replied, straining to keep his voice from trembling with repressed emotions. He didn't want this woman knowing that Sakura held his heart in her hands and, just a few moments ago, had crushed it.

Tsurenai laughed again, a rich and sultry sound.

"Baby, every girl here has that going for her. I think you're plain infatuated with her."

Kakashi's body was slowly starting to respond to her persistent touches. Her heavenly breasts were right at eye level and her knee was gradually coaxing his member to harden inside his pants.

Suddenly, she pulled away and with fluid grace, hooked one stilettoed heel over the back of the chair while her other one remained on the floor, placing her in a wide lunge that brought her naked sex mere inched from Kakashi's face.

"It's bad news to fall for a stripper, so why don't you forget all about her?" she cooed, apparently not at all ashamed that her pink folds were spread wide and so close to him that if he pulled down his scarf, he would be able to taste her.

Kakashi's sensitive nose immediately inhaled her musk. She was already wet, the glistening moisture coating her pink flesh proved it, but what did she want?

"Do you get jealous when men give attention to anyone but you?" he shot back, his words coming out sharper than he meant for them to.

Tsurenai didn't seem angered, but her aquamarine eyes seemed to harden slightly, some of their seductive glimmer dissipating.

"I was just trying to do you a favor and get your mind off of her," she scoffed, the azure cluster of jeweled flowers in her hair glittering in the dim light.

Kakashi didn't even know this woman and yet he still knew this was out of character for her. It seemed to go against everything he knew about her. She was selfish and attention hungry, and not the kind to do favors for anybody. And yet the sight of her sweet, slick sex, spread wide right before him, was putting ideas in his head.

"How much for a ride then?" he asked, the words out before he could stop himself.

Tsurenai smirked, as if that was exactly what she wanted to hear.

"In all honesty, I've been curious to know what it's like with a guy like you. You seem like you might actually know how to show a girl a good time. I'll give you a free fuck, but only this once."

Kakashi felt his pulse quicken as she unhooked her leg from the chair and pulled away, turning around to bend over with her legs spread wide and her palms resting on the floor. She was waiting for him to make the move, inviting him to use her body and to Kakashi's surprise, he actually wanted to. It wasn't because he wanted the sex. It was because maybe this really would get his mind off Sakura, and even if it didn't, it would be his own form of revenge. If Sakura was going to moan like whore for the man she was supposed to be questioning, then he had every right to take Tsurenai up on her offer.

And maybe, just maybe, when Sakura found out about it, she would feel a least a fraction of the hurt that Kakashi was feeling now.

The Copy nin stood, hand coming to the fly of his pants as he moved behind her.

"So, I guess you could call this charity on your part?" Kakashi asked, pulling down his zipper and letting his length spring free from its confines.

"Just call it my good deed for the day," she purred, looking over her shoulder at him with a heated look that was the epitome of desire as one hand slipped between her legs to rub her clit. She was already wet and ready for him and Kakashi wondered how many men she had already fucked tonight, how many men she had bent over for just like this.

He pumped his length in his hand a few times, staring at Tsurenai's pink folds. Pink…like Sakura, only, she wasn't Sakura, would never be Sakura. He could close his eyes and pretend, but her moans wouldn't sound the same. Those pleasured gasps of awe and ecstasy that betrayed she had never been touched in such a way could never be duplicated by a woman like Tsurenai, who had probably done things even Kakashi would never dream of.

Despite his pumping hand, his member started to grow soft as he realized he couldn't go through with this. Angry or not, heartbroken or not, he couldn't do this. He still loved Sakura, and if he slept with Tsurenai like this, he would regret it forever.

Without a word, he stuffed his flaccid member back in his pants and zipped up his fly, hastily walking past the shameless woman and out the door into the bright, flashing lights and cacophony of the club. He walked straight to the exit and didn't look back, not even when he was outside and halfway down the street to his motel. He was going to go home and sleep and he hoped slumber would be deep and dreamless and void of pink haired women. He may love Sakura, but right now, he couldn't even look at her and didn't want to think about her.

Tsurenai scrambled to her feet, moving clumsily for the first time all night. She called after the man that had so abruptly left her but her voice was swallowed up by the thundering base of the club's music. He had resisted her, had found her charm to be lacking, and it was all because of that pink haired bitch!

Tsurenai couldn't remember the last time a man had turned her down and she was fuming at the thought that she had failed. Dajaku was going to be pissed for sure. With a growl of frustration, she ripped the jeweled clip from her hair and threw it against the wall. Two of the cobalt stones shattered and the small barb on the end of one of the rhinestoned flowers broke off. The poison covering the tiny needle would never find its way into the Copy nin's bloodstream now, and Tsurenai's mission of killing Kakashi Hatake had officially failed.

XXXXX

Sakura's head was spinning and she found she could barely breathe as she was filled over and over again by her enemies throbbing cock. He was leering down at her, obviously enjoying having her on her back and completely helpless. She had lost the ability to form coherent words, her heady moans and desperate sobs nothing more than lusty noises now.

She had lost track of how long she had been in this room with this man, of how long he had been pumping into her hard and fast. Her pussy was starting to feel raw from the harsh way he used her, and yet she still craved him, still obeyed his every word.

Endless strings of nasty encouragements ensured that her sex stayed wet and her body responsive, and her mind was so clouded with pleasure that she wasn't even resisting with her mind anymore.

She writhed below him, rocking her hips against his over and over until he let out a low groan, warning through clenched teeth that he was on the verge of coming.

"I want you to come with me," he growled as he sped up his thrusts to an impossibly fast pace. "I want you to have an orgasm so intense it damn near tears you apart."

Immediately, Sakura could feel her sex begin to tighten around him and whimpered when the heat coiling in her abdomen began to burn white hot.

"Oh fuck yeah," he groaned as her pussy squeezed him tight. He could hear her moans rising in pitch and knew she was gearing up for a mind blowing release just like he had commanded. He thrust into her hard a few more times before withdrawing right as the kunoichi began to orgasm, pumping his member with his hand and watching Sakura thrash below him, screaming and flailing and clawing at the sheets as her womb contracted so hard he could see it clenching below the smooth skin of her belly.

With an animalistic growl, he joined her in bliss, thick, hot liquid spurting from his cock and splashing against Sakura's breasts and stomach, the woman too enraptured to notice. His cock pulsed in his hand until he was spent, twitching a few more times before he finally released it and reached for a tissue from the box beside the bed.

Sakura's eyes were closed as she trembled, gasping for breath after having an orgasm so intense that it left her too exhausted to move. Only when she felt the man's weight shift off the bed did she manage to crack open an eye.

"You are a little animal," he mused as he wiped off his now flaccid member before pulling on his pants, tossing the used tissue into the trash can. "I've never had a woman scream like you do."

Her eyes followed him as he pulled on his shirt and jacket, but she did not move, too tired after being used by him and still under the effects of the drug.

Fully dressed he returned to her side and sat at the edge of the bed, yellow eyes admiring his handwork as he took in her shapely figure, flushed and splattered with his essence, the white liquid pooling in her navel and running down her sides to soak into the sheets.

"You've passed the test, my dear," he smiled, pushing a damp strand of hair away from her forehead with surprising tenderness. "I'll be back for you. You'll make a fine addition to his collection."

He stood and smoothed a hand over his short hair as he walked away. As almost an after thought, he looked over his shoulder.

"When you hear this door close, you will no longer be under my control. You will remember nothing of our meeting except for the sex. You will not recall the drug or anything I said before or after having sex. You will not detect any traces of the drug in your system and you will recognize your failure in finding out more about me as a result of the way I instantly and thoroughly seduced you. Do you understand, Sakura?"

She nodded mutely, signaling that she did and the man chuckled lightly.

"See you around, baby."

Without another word, he exited the room, letting in the noise and lights of the club outside only for a moment before the door closed behind him.

At the sound of it shutting, Sakura suddenly sat up, blinking owlishly as if awakening from a long nap. She felt groggy and disoriented but she attributed that to the absolutely incredible orgasm she had just had. She never would have guessed that man was so skilled in bed. She shifted her weight and winced at the acute pain between her legs. Walking would be difficult tomorrow, that much was for sure.

Suddenly, she was aware of the sticky mess covering the front of her body, and it only took a second to figure out what it was. A hand clasped over her mouth as she felt bile rise in the back of her throat. The sex she had had just had was so unspeakably dirty that she would never mention it to anyone, not even Kakashi, and she had done it all with a perfect stranger. The things she had said, the things she begged for, were all so depraved that Sakura couldn't believe the words had really come from her mouth. The thought of Kakashi made her eyes widen. The mission…this had been it, her chance to get information, and she realized she hadn't gotten a word out of him. She hadn't even tried! She had let him use her until her pussy was sore, but she hadn't extracted a single usable fact from him.

Sakura suddenly rushed to the trashcan, kneeling before it as she was violently sick, retching and gagging until her stomach was completely emptied of its contents.

Feeling faint and sick and intensely disgusted with herself, Sakura wiped the remains of her targets orgasm from her skin as best she could, trying to keep herself from gagging all over again as tears formed in her eyes.

She hadn't wanted to do this, and now that it was all over she felt even worse than she had before, because this had all been for nothing. She had failed the girls at the club and she had failed Kakashi. Just thinking of him made her heart sink. What was she going to tell him? How could she face him with nothing to show for having to sleep with their target? She was so ashamed of

She wondered if Kakashi would ever touch her again or if this marked the end of their brief, but surprisingly passionate relationship. He would be so angry and disappointed in her that he probably wouldn't even want to look at her, let alone make love to her. He would once again be her former teacher and nothing more.

She glanced at the night stand, the thick wad of cash he had offered still there. He had paid for his sex just like the others, only this time, he hadn't paid for an illusion, for a trick played by using genjutsu. She had fucked him for real, and seeing the money sitting there made her want to scream. It was one thing to pretend to be a prostitute, but to actually do the deed and accept money for it made her feel dirtier than she had ever felt in her life.

The tears in her eyes finally fell, cutting inky black trails down her face as her make up was ruined. Sakura didn't care. She welcomed the tears, putting her face in her hands and sobbing softly as the sheer hopelessness of the situation overwhelmed her. The mission was a failure and it was all her fault. She would lose the trust of one man, and had just been roughly violated by another. It was seldom that Sakura had moments where she regretted her choice to become a kunoichi, but this was undoubtedly one of them.

Indulging in her tears, she cried, naked and alone in the small, dim room.

XXXXX

I warned you it would be angsty. I am open to your thoughts and opinions on this chapter, even if they are angry, but I stand by my decision to make the plot go in this direction. Believe me, I received plenty of warnings from my pre-readers about what might happen if I published this. I hope you all chose to continue reading and enjoying this story, even if it's not idealistic and fluffy.


	20. Chapter 20

Ok people, yes, I know you're all excited that the new chapter is up but I need to address some issues I've been having with some reviews even though I've posted about this before. Sending me reviews and PMs saying "What's the matter with you? Why don't you update?" will not make me update any faster. What's the matter with me? Maybe it's the fact that I'm a full time student and I have been preparing for finals (and let me tell you, a cumulative Japanese final takes some time to study for.) I have a job and I have friends and sometimes I just don't feel like writing. I also had some beta complications that slowed this release down. If you would rather have me upload substandard work full of typos, too bad, because I happen to believe waiting a little longer is worth it if it means a higher quality product. If it pisses you off that pumping out these chapters isn't my first priority then go read someone else's work. I will update when I want to and if it's not quick enough for you, TOO BAD.

Sorry for all those to whom this does not concern. It's only a handful of people ruining it for everyone else.

As always, Naruto and its characters are not mine and I make no money writing this story (another reason updating isn't a first priority.) This story contains adult themes, etc.

XXXXX

Kakashi lay in bed, eyes red-rimmed by the need for sleep, yet all he could do was stare at the water stains on the ceiling as his mind replayed again and again what had happened earlier that night.

He loved Sakura. He knew that now. But the knowledge offered no joy. He was terrified, terrified and angry, both at himself and at his pink haired partner. He could still hear her lustful screams ringing in his ears, the breathless pleas to be fucked harder and the wet slap of flesh on flesh as the yellow eyed man impaled her deep and fast. Kakashi knew that it was her mission to seduce information out of their target, but why did she have to sound like that? Why did he have to hear her? For someone who had been so resistant to the idea of sleeping with another, she certainly sounded like she was enjoying herself, and though Sakura was a skilled kunoichi, he didn't think her acting skills were quite that developed.

Kakashi's anger stemmed from more than just the jealousy of another man experiencing something so intimate with Sakura. It ran deeper than a mere insecurity that someone might pleasure his former student better than he could. He was angry and hurt because it confirmed that Sakura didn't reciprocate the feelings he had only so recently named. She didn't love him now, and probably never would.

She loved Sasuke, she always had since Kakashi had come to know her. He doubted she would abandon her dreams of being with the Uchiha for someone fourteen years her senior just because he had been the one to sleep with her first.

Ironically enough, Kakashi had fallen victim to unrequited love despite his solemn vow that having sex with Sakura would be for nothing more than training purposes. He couldn't deny the pleasure he experienced from tasting the forbidden her fruit, and he'd hoped their repeated sexual encounters for nothing more than to satisfy their need for physical satisfaction. Yet he knew that wasn't true.

The Copy nin pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes and groaned softly, mentally and physically exhausted but still wide awake.

He was stupid, so incredibly stupid for letting his emotions get tangled up like this especially during a mission. He wasn't an emotional person. He hadn't been since he received the gouging wound inflicted on his boyish heart when his father betrayed the village when he was just a boy, before he was even old enough to understand what had truly happened. Afterward, he had become withdrawn, and only receding further into his shell with every death he witnessed. But this…this was something even he couldn't ignore. Somehow, the heart he had presumed to be dead had chosen the worst time imaginable to beat again, and it was interfering greatly with his performance on this mission.

He was no longer objective, could no longer trust his own judgment. He was irrational and quick to bursts of both passion and anger whenever Sakura was concerned. The fact that he had actually considered having sex with Tsurenai while Sakura was engaged in the most critical part of their mission was absolutely sickening. Just what kind of jealous creature had he become, leaving his partner alone when he was supposed to be backing her up? And yet he still lay in bed, unable to return to her and see the face that had unwittingly torn apart his heart.

Suddenly, Kakashi knew he was not alone, a presence was on the other side of his door. But rather than reach for the kunai hidden under his pillow, he simply stared stony faced into the darkness, for it was a presence he recognized, though it belonged to a person he was not in the mood to see at the moment.

The doorknob turned and the door cracked open, wider, wider. And then there she was, standing in ratty sweats looking freshly showered and gloriously radiant, even without makeup.

As he sat up in bed, he noted that the recent shower would have washed away any residual filth from encounter with their target, and yet his eyes scanned her critically from head to toe as if searching for proof of the act of her indiscretion even through her clothes.

"Kakashi," she said quietly, her voice surprisingly soft and almost…wounded. "Why did you leave? I thought the plan was for you to try and tail Yellow when he left."

She seemed confused by his actions, but she wasn't the dynamite stick of anger he had expected. Maybe she was feeling guilty for enjoying her romp with their target, but even that possibility couldn't please Kakashi enough brighten his mood. He simply continued to stare at his partner coldly, making no move to turn on his lamp, leaving them to talk with only the glow of blue green neon from the neighboring bookstore weakly illuminating the room.

"Plans change," he said shortly, knowing he was being unreasonable, but feeling like he shouldn't have to justify his actions until she did the same. Even if she did, how could he tell her he loved her? He couldn't and he wouldn't. It was as simple as that.

"What's the matter with you?" Sakura said softly, still surprisingly reserved. "You seem so—"

"I'm fine." Kakashi snapped, his words sounding harsher than he meant them to. "What did you find out about him?"

The kunoichi's eyes suddenly dropped to the floor as she bit her lower lip. Kakashi had seen that particular behavior enough to know that she only did it when extremely nervous and he had a sinking feeling in his gut that warned that he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.

"I…um…"

She was still refusing to look at him.

"Sakura," he said, his voice a low growl of impatience and anxiety. "You did find out something about him right? His name? His occupation? Hell, even the shinobi clan he's affiliated with would be helpful."

She said nothing, eyes still fixed on the floor.

"Sakura. you—"

"I didn't get any information," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know anymore about him now than I did before going into that booth with him."

For a moment, there was silence in the room, a stillness so dense that they could feel it pressing down on them with suffocating weight until at last Kakashi spoke, the incredulous tone clearly audible in his voice.

"But…how could you…Sakura, the whole mission relied on that one encounter. If you have nothing, this mission is a failure."

"I know," she replied, at least lifting her eyes to meet his mismatched pair. "I'm sorry."

Kakashi couldn't believe what he was hearing. Not only had she moaned like a whore while a perfect stranger screwed her pretty little brains out, she hadn't even collected a single piece of data from the target to make her defilement warrented.

"Sorry?" the shinobi growled as his disbelief turned to hurt and anger. "That was our one shot Sakura, and now we have nothing. Nothing."

She winced at his words, looking absolutely miserable. She was perfectly aware that this mission was probably a lost cause now, but that didn't make it any easier to listen to Kakashi berate her.

"What the hell happened in there? We needed this lead…the girls needed this lead. How are we supposed to protect them now?"

Sakura wrapped her arms around herself as if they would protect her from Kakashi's painful words, but she couldn't stop the tears from forming in her eyes. She had let everyone down. All of her friends were still in danger and she had let their only clue to saving them slip through her fingers. Kakashi was furious with her, furious and disappointed, and that knowledge only compounded the pain gripping her chest. She didn't know what had come over her in that room. She hadn't acted like herself. She had been overcome by the primal urge to have raw, animalistic sex, and while he had certainly obliged her, it scared her how everything else had left her brain, how her priorities had rearranged themselves. It wasn't like her at all and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was forgetting something important, that she was missing a crucial detail. But then she hadn't collected any details had she?

Kakashi could see her emerald eyes glistening with unshed tears. Her body posture betrayed how dejected she felt, and for a moment, his heart ached for her. Everyone made mistakes, although it was uncharacteristic for Sakura to make one so big, but yelling at her was solving nothing. Her dismal expression evaporated his anger and suddenly, all he wanted to do was hold her close and comfort her. While her scandalous behavior had hurt him, she hadn't done it on purpose and, after all, it was for the mission. Their situation was certainly bleak, but he had faced worse odds in his lifetime, and maybe if they put their heads together, they could figure this out.

"Sakura," he said gently, getting out of bed and walking towards where she still stood at the foot of his bed. "Shh, don't cry."

He opened his arms to embrace her, to comfort her, but she was suddenly backing away, scrambling to avoid him.

Sakura didn't know why, but the thought of being touched by a man suddenly made her panic. She couldn't explain it, but she instinctually knew she had to get away before something bad happened, before she was hurt.

Kakashi let his arms drop to his sides as Sakura made it clear she didn't want to be held. All the anger and hurt from moments ago came flooding back as he interpreted her actions to mean she found no need for him after her rendezvous with their target. Their physical relationship had meant nothing to her after all. It was what they had initially agreed on, but it wasn't what Kakashi wanted anymore, and it hurt to see her slam the door on his hopes of anything meaningful with her, even if they were foolish in the first place.

"I guess I can't compare," he said with a humorless laugh. "I was never able to make you moan like that. Nothing will do after a ride like that, will it?"

"What are you taking about?" Sakura said, still on her guard even though Kakashi had turned away from her to slump on the edge of the bed.

"Don't play dumb," he seethed, his voice growing acidic at the prospect of her trying to deny his accusations. "I heard you moaning for him, screaming. The things you said, the things you begged for…I must say Sakura, you even had me believing you made a living as a whore."

Her mouth dropped open, closed and then opened again like she meant to say something but couldn't find the words.

"And I heard him, saying you were riding him like an animal, that you were the dirtiest thing he'd seen in a long time. It's no wonder you didn't get any information out of him. You were too busy fucking him senseless."

He hadn't meant to go that far, and as soon as he said the words he regretted them, but there was a cruelness in Kakashi that wanted to hurt her the way she had hurt him.

Sakura could only stare wide eyed. Her cheeks would have been burning with shame if the blood hadn't already drained from her face and left her skin ashen and pallid.

"Y-you heard? But why were you listening? Why would you…"

"It was a funny sort of accident really," Kakashi said, although he didn't see the humor in the situation at all. "I went into the bathroom to wash my hands, only to hear you through the air conditioning vent, talking dirtier than I ever could have imagined. Sex was supposed to loosen his tongue, but it sounded like the only thing getting loose in there was your—"

"Yeah? Well what about you?" Sakura shot back, finally getting over her shock and drawing on her anger, the emotion that had given her strength throughout most of her life. "Maybe if you had stuck around like you were supposed to instead of abandoning me, you could have following him to where he had been taking the girls, or at least gathered some clues. I'm not the only one at fault here Kakashi, so don't you dare pretend you're blameless."

"Well at least I didn't forget about the mission because I was too busy begging to be fucked harder. You could have at least asked his name so you could moan it and maybe gathered a clue to who this guy is."

Sakura bristled, refusing to let him sit there and hurl insults at her when she was not the only one at fault. Something weird had happened in that room, something she couldn't figure out, but she couldn't tell Kakashi that now. He would just jeer, just make cruel remarks about how the only weird thing was her inability to carry out a mission. But he was also acting strangely. She had expected anger, but he was treating this almost like a personal betrayal. Why was he so fixated on her sleeping with another?

"You're acting jealous all over again," she spat. "Maybe you should be the one focusing less on me and more on our target. I know I screwed up, but why are you making such a big deal out of me sleeping with him. That was originally part of the plan, wasn't it?"

Kakashi stared at her long and hard, his heart swelling with things he wanted to tell her. If only he could shake her and say it was a big deal because he loved her and just when he had figured that out, just when she had stirred up impossible feelings in him, she had smashed him to pieces. He was taking it personally because it was personal, but he couldn't expect her to understand and this was no time to explain. There would never be a time because it didn't matter anymore. She didn't feel the same.

Abruptly, Kakashi stood up, pulling a shirt on over the tank and attached mask he hadn't bothered to remove and slipping on his shoes. He didn't say a word as he grabbed his hat and scarf and left the room, ignoring her confused and angry calls for him to come back. He emerged into the hallway where not even the dim lighting could hide the peeling plaster. He slammed the door behind him and she did not follow. He opened the rusted security gate and found himself on the street, not walking towards the club, but away from it, his feet moving of their own accord as if they knew where they were going even if their master did not.

Kakashi wasn't sure what time it was, not aware of how long he had stared blankly at the ceiling. Their target had come early, and he couldn't have been with Sakura for much more than an hour. He had probably left the club a little after twelve, and judging by the stars he could see peeking through the clouds, he guessed it to be after four in the morning. While Konoha would have been sound asleep at this hour, Fuzen's nightlife was wide awake and bustling.

He had to clear his head, had to lock up all the tangled emotions that were winding their way around his mind and heart. He felt too much and thought too little and it was seriously jeopardizing the mission. He needed to get over Sakura and fast. This mission would be so much easier if she meant nothing more to him than a friendly former student should, but somehow he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to fold up what he felt and neatly stuff it away in a drawer inside his head.

Things had gone from being complicated to being a big fucking mess.

In the darkness, drug cartels, prostitution, and kami knew what else were being pedaled on the black market, and the local authorities apparently felt no need to stop it, turning a blind eye to the trade of sin that was happening right under their noses.

Kakashi walked along the darkened alley ways, his sharpened shinobi senses taking in all that was around him even as his mind was burdened with inner turmoil, a turmoil painted in shades of pink with breathtaking emerald eyes.

At the next alley, a tall, slender man talked in hushed whispers with a man of equal height, but so grotesquely overweight that his neck was swallowed by his multiple chins and his clothes seemed at the brink of bursting as they struggled to contain his mass. Their body posture and nervous glances gave every indication that whatever they were talking about wasn't meant to be overheard, but even their muddled whispers were easily deciphered by Kakashi's unusually keen sense of hearing.

"—meet with him. He'll get you what you need."

"So I can pick 'em right off the stage?"

"No, it doesn't work like that. They bring them in from somewhere else. You usually don't even see the girl until the exchange when they wire her up to do anything you ask. This operation is still in the early stages so there aren't too many orders yet."

Kakashi instantly snapped out of its internal thoughts, focusing completely on the conversation he was overhearing. He didn't recognize the larger man, but the brown trench coat, slim figure and long scraggly ponytail made it easy for Kakashi to see that this was the same man he had seen in the book shop, the same one he had tried to get information out of at the club, only to have him slip away when he had been sidetracked by Sakura. Either this man had been withholding information from him or he had only just recently become privy to knowledge that Kakashi was after.

The Copy nin pulled out his phone and leaned casually against the wall, pretending to listen to a message as he held the small device to his ear. The couple paid him no mind, figuring he couldn't possibly hear their low voices from where he was standing, and the skinny man obviously didn't recognize Kakashi in the dim light.

The fat man grinned, his jowls pulling up to bare a gap in the row of yellowed teeth, perhaps the reminder of a bar fight.

"So if I pay for one of these bitches, there's nothing she won't do?" he asked eagerly.

"She'll do anything you ask," the slender man replied, his emaciated form seeming to drown in the brown folds of his trench coat. "Just go to the address on the card and talk to the owner. Like I said, I don't know all the details yet. They just brought me in to this operation. Just show him the card and he'll know what you want to talk about. Keep it quiet, because this whole business is rather delicate as you can imagine."

The fat man chuckled, a thick and disgusting sound.

"It's been ages since I've found a woman willing to fuck me. I'm going to use her until she's sore."

The two of them parted, the larger man heading down the far end of the alley while the other walked towards Kakashi. With a scarf over his face and a hat covering his hair, it made it very hard to identify the Copy nin, and the slender man didn't realize who was sharing the alley with him until it was too late, and he found himself suddenly pressed hard against the rough brick wall with a long fingered hand constricting around his neck.

"Whose name is on that card?" Kakashi growled, in no mood to play nice in order to get his answers.

"I-it's you!" the scrawny man stuttered, eyes bugging out of his head with surprise. "You're the guy from the bookstore."

The only sound was the whisper of fabric on fabric as Kakashi reached into an unknown pocket and retrieved a recently sharpened kunai that glimmered dangerously in the dim light.

"The next time you don't answer my question, you will regret it," Kakashi promised darkly, pressing the sharpened point of the blade to the man's ear. The shinobi made it very clear just what he intended to cut off should his prey refuse to co-operate. "Now, whose name is on that card you were passing out? Why didn't you tell me about this last time we met? You said you didn't know anything."

"I didn't know at the time," the man whimpered pitifully. "I only just met up with that guy I was telling you about, the one with the yellow eyes, and he said he had a contact he was supposed to meet tonight but couldn't make it because he had prior…engagements."

Kakashi growled as his grip on the man's neck tightened, having no doubt that this "prior engagement" was probably fucking Sakura's brains out.

The man whimpered again, eyes darting around as he searched for someone to help him, but the alley was deserted except for the two of them.

"He offered me a bundle of cash to meet the contact in his place. All I had to do was give him that card."

"He wanted a slave girl didn't he? And you gave him a card to link him to the source?"

"Well…it's not the source. Nobody knows who the guy actually running this thing is, except maybe the top shinobi working for him, but—"

His sentence was cut off with a frightened cry as Kakashi impatiently shoved him against the wall harder.

"The name on the card is a person involved in the slave ring right? Tell me the fucking name or you lose an ear."

"Okay, okay! For fuck's sake, calm down! I'll tell you the name!" the man shrieked as he felt the kunai's blade bit into his ear lobe deep enough to make warm blood drip down his neck.

The man breathed the name in a low and shaking whisper, and Kakashi's eyes widened. No, that couldn't be right. It couldn't be him.

"Are you sure?" Kakashi hissed. "Because if you're lying, I swear I'll come back and find you and tear out your throat."

"It's true! I swear it's true!" the man sobbed, growing hysterical as Kakashi's kunai cut deeper into his ear.

"Shit," the Copy nin growled, releasing his captive and suddenly fleeing into the darkness, back towards his motel, praying that Sakura was still there. If she had already gone back to the club, she was in terrible danger.

XXXXX

Sakura watched Kakashi storm out of the room, noting that he didn't even spare her a second glance as he left.

He either didn't hear her calling his name or was choosing to ignore her, but considering his hearing was exceptional, she was guessing it was the latter.

She was furious at him for abandoning her when she needed him the most, at the club and even now when she needed someone to talk to, someone to help her sort through recent events and perhaps discover the critical missing piece of the puzzle. It wasn't like her to completely and utterly fail, and though her own memory was telling her that was exactly what she had done, she was having a hard time believing it. She needed Kakashi's help, although she wasn't exactly sure what he could do for her.

Her skittish and uncharacteristic reaction to his affection was another mystery, and she couldn't help but think it was all related to what had gone on in that room. If Dajaku had cameras running in the booths, she could check the footage and reveal the truth, but he did not. Maybe that was for the best considering the perverted club owner would no doubt spend much of his time watching the equally perverted acts that took place in those booths, and she was quite sure the girls had no intention of putting on show for anyone except their paying customers.

She felt abandoned, crushed by the heavy weight resting on her shoulders that came with letting everybody down. She knew her series of sexual encounters with Kakashi had come to an end. He obviously had no reason to teach her anymore and he wouldn't want to anyway considering how mad at her he was at her. She had been preparing herself for this, trying to distance herself from him emotionally because she knew their intimate moments were nothing more than training exercises and a good time for her partner. She had been surprised by the blissful euphoria that came with lying in Kakashi's arms, at being the center of his world for just a little while. He made her heart beat faster than Sasuke ever had, but maybe that was because when her former sensei was moving deep inside her with slow, gentle strokes as he held her tenderly in his arms, she could pretend for a little while that his feelings for her were genuine and that he truly loved her.

She had longed her whole life to be loved, and it surprised her how much she liked the idea of Kakashi caring for her like that. People back home would shake their heads, calling Kakashi a dirty old man and her naïve and stupid if the two of them ever did really get together, but if he truly loved her, she wouldn't care.

She shook her head to clear away the fantasy, still standing alone in Kakashi's darkened room. She was still every bit the child she used to be, fantasizing about an ideal relationship with a man who felt nothing for her.

She looked at the bed where she had first given herself to him, the sheets a rumpled mess. She moved to the bedside and sat on the edge, running her fingers over the place where he had recently laid. The sheets were still warm from the heat of his body and she longed to feel that same heat against her own skin, to feel his arms around her.

She laid down, her smaller body filling the indentation he had left in the mattress, finding that the sheets still smelled like him. Unshed tears stung her eyes now that she had nobody around to act brave for. Pulling the sheets around her shoulders, she began to cry for the second time that night, her soft sobs filling the empty room, only this time, her tears weren't for the failed mission or even for the girls she had let down. She was crying because it was quite possible that she had fallen in love all over again only to find that, this time too, her feelings would be unrequited. She refused to examine her emotions any closer to see just how deeply they ran, because in the end it was all meaningless anyway.

Her small form shuddered with the force of her sobs as she clutched Kakashi's pillow to her chest. So caught up was she in her grief that she failed to detect the presence of a man in the room next to hers, although he was so adept at concealing his chakra that she might not have noticed him regardless. With his ear pressed to their adjacent wall, he could hear her cries, just as he had heard the rest of their argument. A smile formed on his lips at the fact that the kunoichi had no recollection of what had happened to her that night. Perfect. It seemed everything was going according to plan.

He stepped away from the wall and reached for his coat before walking out the door. Morning would soon arrive and he had places to be. The plan was in its final stages and he felt quite confident that even two elite shinobi from Konoha couldn't stop him.

XXXXX

Kakashi raced back to the motel as fast as his legs could carry him, weaving between surprised men in the darkened streets before leaping to the rooftops. Moving swiftly and silently, it was only a matter of minutes before he was at the rusted security gate, his fingers suddenly unsteady as he fumbled the key into the lock.

The gate swung open with a creak and he dashed inside, feet barely touching the ground as his heart hammered in his chest. He had to tell Sakura about what he had discovered before she went back to the club and walked right into the trap that had been set for her.

This whole mission was a set up, and he would deal with the culprit soon enough, but right now he had to make sure Sakura was safe. If what the man in the alley said was true, there was probably more to Sakura's story than even she knew. Kakashi wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but he intended to find out and was fully prepared to do whatever was necessary to get the information required.

The thought of losing Sakura made his chest constrict painfully, and he knew more than ever that he really loved his former student. Even if she didn't feel the same way, and even if she didn't return his feelings, he couldn't and wouldn't stop loving her. He couldn't turn back now.

He burst into his room, heart sinking when he found it be empty. His sheets were more rumpled than before but there didn't seem to be any indication of a struggle or anything else to signal that Sakura had run into trouble. He walked over and placed his palm on the sheets, finding them slightly warm and his pillow visibly damp with what he assumed were tears and smudged with mascara. She hadn't left long ago, but he couldn't sense any trace of her chakra nearby. If he hurried, he might be able to catch her before she got back to the club.

He turned around and retraced his steps, racing back down the concrete hallway and out into the street that was illuminated only by the lamps and tacky neon lights of nearby establishments. Soon the sun would rise, and he prayed that when it did, it would not shine down on tragedy.

XXXXX

Tsunade rubbed her temples wearily as she heard footsteps thundering up the stairs, undoubtedly towards her office. She knew that when her door banged open a boisterous blur of orange and black would immediately start harassing her, begging to be sent to Fuzen Machi to check up on his teammates.

It had been a week since Tsunade's initial proposal to send Sai, Sasuke and Naruto after the pair, and still she had not received word from them. It could be simply because Kakashi didn't want to blow their cover by sending a message that could link him to Konoha, especially if there was nothing especially significant to report. The Fifth Hokage was reluctant to send an entire squad after them when the delicate matter of the pair's true identities was in the balance. However, her gut was telling her that something was amiss, for Kakashi and Sakura were resourceful enough that it was improbable that they were wholly unable to send a message home, meaning that they had possibly encountered some sort of unforeseen problem. She didn't want to send three of Konoha's elite away when they could be used on other missions, but nobody knew the missing pair better than the other members of Team Seven, and if she didn't send them, Naruto would never leave her alone.

As if on cue, the door to her office slammed open and said blonde entered, the wind created from his hasty entrance scattering several mission reports from the ever growing stack on the desk.

"Naruto," the Hokage said irritably fixing honey brown eyes on the youth that was all but dancing around with restless anxiety.

"Baa-chan, it's been a week, and we still haven't heard from Kakashi-sensei or Sakura-chan!" the whiskered shinobi exclaimed, appearing ready to race off to look for his comrades the second Tsunade gave the word.

"I'm aware of that," she snapped, her twitching eyebrow betraying her annoyance.

In fact, she had spent every day of the past week anticipating the arrival of the mail and sifting through the numerous mission requests, citizen letters and the like, hoping for something as small as a postcard from the woman that had become something of a daughter to her.

But nothing came.

With every passing day, her anxiety grew, for there was so much that could go wrong on a delicate mission like the one Sakura had embarked on with her former sensei. The opportunities for problems were endless, and while Tsunade was trying not to fear the worst, she knew the time had come to send someone after them.

"So when can we leave? I can have Sai and Sasuke at the village gate in fifteen minutes," Naruto blurted out, acting like every minute he stood before the Hokage was another minute Sakura could possibly be in peril without his aid.

"Calm down," the buxom blonde barked. "I will not have you three running around unattended by a team captain, and I certainly won't have you leaving without a mission briefing."

"Aww, but Baa-chan…" he began, his whining voice friction on Tsunade's already frayed nerves.

"Naruto!" she said, voice rising enough to startle the normally obnoxious man into silence. "Yamoto will be accompanying you. That is not up for negotiation. If you say you can get you teammates to the gate in fifteen minutes then I want them here in ten and ready for a mission briefing. Understand?"

The kyuubi container could see fire flashing in her eyes' tawny depths and knew he had better not press his luck. The most important thing right now was getting Sakura and Kakashi back, even if he had to play by the Hokage's rules and not his own.

Naruto gave a short nod, signifying her understood and dashed out of her office to find the two people she requested.

Her office quiet once more, Tsunade sighed and slumped back in her chair.

"Shizune," she called out loudly, knowing her assistant was usually within earshot if she yelled loudly enough. "Track down Yamato and summon him immediately."

XXXXX

The sun was just starting to rise as Sakura pushed open the heavy double doors of the club, painting the already dreary city in pale shades of gray. A patchwork of clouds covered the heavens, promising another overcast day, and the dismal atmosphere seemed only to add Sakura's inner gloom.

Soundlessly, she closed the door behind her, looking around the club's darkened interior and nearly wincing at the memory of what had transpired here only hours before. She thought of all the friends she had made, asleep on the floor above, and fervently wished she would have another chance to save them, although she wasn't very optimistic about her target making a mistake that would allow her to redeem herself.

She noticed immediately that the light in Dajaku's office was on, and wondered if he was simply up early or had stayed up very late. His sleeping schedule seemed completely random and she wondered how he managed to get by on so little rest.

The kunoichi was about to head upstairs when the sliver of light in the doorway was suddenly obstructed, casting the large room into total darkness.

"Hana," a feminine voice called. "Is that you?"

The sugary sweet, though obviously false note gave away the woman's identity immediately, and Sakura was instantly wary, wondering what the hell the snotty diva wanted considering their last encounter hadn't exactly been friendly.

"Yeah. What is it?" the kunoichi called back, wishing she could just go upstairs and crawl into bed instead of talking with Tsurenai.

"Dajaku needs to talk with you in his office for a moment."

Sakura could hear the hint of smugness tainting her voice and figured she was probably in trouble for staying out so late. The purple haired woman seemed all too pleased to be the bearer of bad news and Sakura made a mental note that as soon as this mission was over and her identity was revealed, she'd pay Tsurenai back for her gracious hospitality with a black eye.

Suppressing the urge to mutter unflattering things under her breath, she trudged towards the cracks of light the diva's slender body didn't obscure. Tsurenai stepped aside and shot her a saccharine sweet and obviously fake smile. Sakura responded with an equally phony expression, trying to play nice since Dajaku was in the room.

"Good morning Hana," the club owner said smoothly, his bald head looking especially shiny under his office lights on this particular day. He was still in the same hideous red and yellow paisley silk shirt he had worn the night before so it appeared he hadn't bothered going to bed.

"Morning," Sakura responded, trying to stifle a yawn behind her hand.

Dajaku seemed to find this amusing, chuckling softly.

"Long night?"

The kunoichi hadn't gotten a wink of sleep since the club had closed its doors for the night, and between the fight with Kakashi and her lengthy bought of crying, she was physically, mentally and emotionally drained and felt dead on her feet. If she closed her eyes at that very moment, she could probably have fallen asleep standing up, except for the fact that she was still quite aware that Tsurenai was still holding the door half open with a smug expression on her face.

"Whatever it is you have to talk to me about, do you have to do it while she's here?" Sakura asked irritably, in no mood to hear the arrogant dancer snicker while she was reprimanded.

"This won't take long," Dajaku assured. "So relax."

The kunoichi refrained from rolling her eyes and bit her tongue to keep from saying what she might regret later as she fixed her client and employer with a bland stare that clearly said, 'Get on with it so I can get this over with.'

The club owner interlaced his fingers, resting his elbows on the desk and propping his chin on his clasped hands, regarding her from head to toe. Sakura got the feeling he was once again undressing her with his eyes and her hand twitched as she fought the urge to punch him in the face, for the image of him reeling backward hard enough to crash through the wall behind him would almost be worth blowing her cover.

Finished with his inspection, Dajaku gave a sigh that was almost regretful and Sakura irritably wondered what this was all about. She watched as he turned to Tsurenai and seemed to give an imperceptible nod. She smiled and shot Sakura a wicked smile as she stepped into the room, closing the door behind her to reveal a man that had been standing behind the door. He was dressed all in black, and though a black cap covered his hair, she recognized him immediately. His yellow eyes gave him away.

Before she even had the time to gasp, he was behind her, crouching on top of Dajaku's desk with a syringe half emptied into the back of her neck.

By the time she turned to face him, the plunger had been completely depressed, and whatever substance had been inside was flowing through bloodstream. Cold fire burned through her veins as she felt her body grow heavy and unresponsive.

She fixed a hateful glare on her attacker, and then shifted her gaze to Dajaku who was sitting calmly in his chair. He had a hand in this? It didn't make sense, for that meant he was involved with all the previous disappearances that he claimed to be so distressed about. She had never bought his shit about being concerned for the girls, but they made him money, which he loved more than he could any woman, so why would he risk business for them? And why the hell had he hired Konoha shinobi in the first place if he was behind the crime all along? She couldn't fit the pieces of the puzzle together as her brain became increasingly fogged by the mysterious drug. Although she was trying to speed up her metabolism to break down the substance and get it out of her system, her body couldn't seem to work fast enough. Stumbling, the mysterious ninja caught her in his arms, becoming the only thing holding her up as the strength left her body.

"What the fuck?" she growled with as much menace as she could muster. "You're the one behind all this?"

Dajaku chuckled, his face splitting into a grin that revealed his yellow teeth.

"I'm afraid I'm not the criminal mastermind behind the operation, but yes, I am a profiteer. I can sell the girls that work for me for more than they could make in a lifetime. Nobody misses them but their fellow dancers. They're strippers, whores, and are missed by no one. It's not a bad set up at all."

Tsurenai smiled, taking great pleasure in Sakura's current predicament and took no offense at what Dajaku said. Apparently she considered herself above the rest of the girls and too classy to be a whore, even if she slept around with more men for more money than anyone else.

"You disgusting bastard," the kunoichi spat, trying to struggle in her captor's hold but her muscles were no longer responding to her commands. "Then why did you even hire me in the first place if you knew where the girls were going?"

Dajaku's silvery eyes seemed to gleam in the harsh lighting as he leaned back casually in his chair.

"Because, my dear Sakura, the one running this outfit needs a body guard, a body guard he can completely control, one that will give her life without a second thought, and one he can fuck anywhere, anytime in any way he wants. Who would be better for the job than a kunoichi that had undergone the same procedure as the rest of his products?"

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. He had meant to do this to her all along? This whole mission had just been one big setup! No wonder he had been so off perterbed by Kakashi's presence. For once it hadn't been about the money. An additional ninja, and a male one at that, didn't fit into Dajaku's plans.

"You sick fuck," she hissed. "How do you plan on explaining this to Konoha? They'll miss me eventually. You can't wash your hands of me as easily as you can the other girls."

The club owner shrugged.

"Shinobi die on missions all the time. Why should you be any different? I'll send a regretful letter back to Konoha, ninjas will come looking for a body, and when they find none, you'll be dismissed as dead and they'll never be able to pin it on me."

If her body had been working properly, she would have lunged at the pitiful excuse for a man and snapped his neck with her bare hands, but Yellow's grip was strong and her body numb. All she could so was hang limply in his arms.

"What about Kakashi?" she seethed. "He won't believe I just went and disappeared. He'll hunt me down and find me."

"Doubtful," Tsurenai giggled, her voice filled with obvious glee. "Where you're going is hundreds of miles away from here. It would take him months to track you down and by the time he got to you, it would be too late."

"If I find him poking around here when I return, I'll kill him," the man holding her said, bringing his lips close to Sakura's ear and whispering them as if they were the tender utterances of a lover.

Rage boiled inside of the kunoichi as she tried to turn around and imbed her fist firmly into his smirking mouth, but all her efforts produced little more than a twitch.

Even her highly advanced medical training was proving worthless as she tried to identify the drug in her body. It was complex unlike anything she had seen and worked faster than her body could keep up with.

"What the fuck was in that syringe?" she growled, drawing all her menace to her voice since all other parts of her body were currently useless.

Yellow chuckled.

"You asked that exact question last time, little kunoichi. This drug is truly marvelous isn't it? Instant paralysis, total mind control, complete memory loss…"

Last time? Sakura's increasingly fogged brain was having a hard time sorting out the words spoken. A "last time" would imply that she had been injected before, and yet she remembered no such instance. He had mentioned complete memory loss, so did that mean that last night when she had been alone with him, when she had let him fuck her so brutally, when she had failed to extract any evidence, he had drugged her then too? Suddenly it all made sense. No wonder she had let him touch her like that. No wonder she had loved every minute of it and abandoned her mission in favor of carnal pleasure. This terrible, powerful drug had done something to make her forget all that had happened so that she couldn't even warn Kakashi. For all she new, she had learned something valuable and now it was forgotten.

Tsurenai yawned as if Sakura's predicament were already boring her, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

"The others will be waking up soon," she noted. "You should get her out of here before someone finds her."

Dajaku nodded and Sakura could feel the man behind her dip his head as well.

"Yes, but there's just one more order of business to take care of before you go," the club owner smiled.

Sakura found herself hauled over to the desk and bent over it, the furniture the only thing that help her up since her body was no more responsive than a sack of rice. Her face was turned towards the wall and she didn't have the strength to turn around, but she could hear Tsurenai gasp behind her.

"W-what are you doing? Dajaku, you can't be serious!"

There were scuffling sounds behind her before another body filled her field of vision. Tsurenai was forcibly bent over the desk, Yellow holding her down by a hand in her hair as he depressed the plunger of another syringe in the back of her neck.

"Koudo, you bastard!" she spat, struggling weakly against him, but if Sakura could not escape, then a frail woman like Tsurenai, unaided by shinobi power and strength, didn't stand a chance.

Sakura tried to commit the man's name memory. She had no idea if Koudo was actually his real name, but it was better than calling him Yellow.

"Calm down Tsurenai," Dajaku spoke somewhere outside Sakura's vision. "If you struggle too much, he'll have to get rough, and I wouldn't want to damage the merchandise."

"You sold me out!" the woman seethed, still unsuccessfully trying to throw the larger man off her. "You fucking prick. I practically run your dirty little club for you and this is the thanks I get? How are you going to recruit new girls now?"

Dajaku clucked his tongue at her and Sakura could imagine him shaking his head.

"Tsurenai my dear, I don't need you as much as you think I do. I can attract a pretty face to this club just as well as you can if the girl is desperate enough. And besides, when was the last time you went out and did your job. Ever since Sakura got here, you've spent all your energy on petty competitions against her, and despite it all, she still was making almost as much as you in tips. If a battle hardened kunoichi can be turned into a dancer, anyone can."

"But I was your star!" Tsurenai cried angrily. "Without me, your customers will stop coming and your pathetic little business will die."

Dajaku chuckled lightly.

"You were only the star because you were advertised that way. A few new promotional posters can hype up any girl. In fact, as soon as you're gone, I'll schedule a photo shoot for Kitsune. She doesn't know it yet, but she's going to be the new face of Wet Dreams. In a week, people will have forgotten all about you."

"Bastard," she said again, although her voice lacked the spite it had previously held as the drug began to weaken her. "That red headed slut won't make half the profit I do."

The club owner laughed, the sound cruel and careless.

"I think she can make just as much as you, if not more," he stated. "But it doesn't even matter, not after the amount I'm getting to sell you off. I could close shop and retire in luxury if I wanted, but the fact is, there's too much money to be made selling pretty little things like you. This club's roster is going to be constantly changing as new girls come in and old ones are sold off. Even if the club doesn't do as well as it did before, I'll still be filthy rich."

Sakura could hear the nearly childish glee in his voice at the prospect of so much money and her disgust was so great that she began to struggle anew. He dared sell all her friends into slavery? Was it not enough that he kept them here and exploited them daily? They bared their bodies and shattered their innocence, pleasing men to get by and yet that still wasn't enough for him. Dajaku's greed knew no bounds.

Both of the girl's meek struggles were easily subdued as Koudo placed a hand on the back of their necks and pumped them full of chakra.

"Sleep," he commanded, and instantly, both women fell silent, their eyes closed in peaceful slumber.

"Amazing," Dajaku marveled. "It still seems like magic no matter how many times I watch you do it."

Koudo withdrew a fat envelope from his jacket pocket and handed it to the club owner.

"This is for both of them. The boss will send you his next request soon and wants pictures of any of the new girls you get."

Dajaku practically snatched the envelope from his hands, silver eyes widening as he found himself holding more money than he could make in a year at the club.

"As always, it's been a pleasure doing business with you," he smiled, offering his hand which Koudo took in a firm handshake.

"You'll be hearing from me soon," the yellow eyed man said as he slung both unconscious girls over his shoulder. "We'll keep in touch."

Dajaku nodded, but his gaze was fixed on the money in his hand.

There was a poof of smoke as the shinobi teleported away, taking the women with him, and the club owner found himself alone in his small office, holding the fortune he previously had only dreamed about.

XXXXX

Thanks for reading. The next chapter will be out when I get to it and not a moment sooner.


	21. Chapter 21

Yes, I am updating. Amazing. Despite what many people have concluded, I have not abandoned this fic. If you look at my updating history, I normally post a chapter about every six weeks, although if I take longer, it's not because I have forgotten about this story.

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Stripped Bare - Chapter 21

Sakura awoke feeling groggy, disoriented, and slightly nauseous, no doubt from the drug Koudo had injected her with. She opened her eyes to find herself in what looked to be a private car of a train. The shades were drawn over the windows, leaving the interior of the car dim and preventing her from knowing where the train was traveling.

She had no recollection of boarding, or even of leaving Dajaku's office. She had to wonder if her captor had ordered her to walk calmly to the station and then forget all about it.

She wondered where Kakashi was, and if he'd be able to find her. If only she had known she had been drugged sooner. She could have explained her actions and prevented their fight. Even if he did come save her and she told him the truth, she wondered if anything between them could be salvaged. Her heart sank as she remembered that nothing had existed between them in the first place. There were no feelings, only sex. There was nothing to fix because no relationship existed.

Sakura looked across from her to find Tsurenai on the opposite seat, body leaning against the wall, just as the kunoichi's had been. It looked like she was still sound asleep.

Sakura knew who sat beside her even before turning to look. She shifted slightly in her seat, trying to draw her strength for an attack on her captor, but it seemed her limbs were still under the command of another.

The man at her side chuckled.

"Awake already?" he mused, his voice smooth and rich as ever. "I expected you to sleep until we reached our destination, but it seems I've underestimated you. You're certainly a remarkable specimen."

"Bastard," she croaked, her tongue feeling thick and dry inside her mouth. She longed to spring to her feet and grasp his head in both hands, snapping it until his disturbingly yellow eyes were staring vacantly at the wall behind him, neck broken. However, just twitching a finger currently seemed a difficult task and she could do nothing more than sit obediently. All the hate and rage she possessed were focused in her green gaze that now glittered dangerously like deadly fragments of broken glass.

Koudo only seemed amused by her insult, smirking as he reached out to run fingers through her disheveled pink strands.

Without warning, he hauled her forward into a rough kiss. Sakura complied like a rag doll, unable to stop her body from pressing snugly to his. He suckled at her lips before pushing his tongue past them, violating her mouth while she was unable to push him away. With no other way to defend herself, Sakura did all she could. She summoned her strength and bit him hard.

The bite wasn't enough to draw blood, but it was enough to make her assailant grunt in pain and pull away, but instead of anger, he only continued to look at her with amusement.

"So much spirit," he chuckled. "The boss is going to love you. He likes watching the strong ones break down."

Sakura only continued to glare hatefully, vowing that once they got to wherever they were going, she would be sure to kill this so called 'boss' too, even if she had no idea how she would accomplish it while her strength eluded her.

"I'm going to kiss you again," Koudo murmured, voice full of self confidence that only fueled Sakura's anger. "And this time, you are going to enjoy it."

She was powerless to stop him as he leaned in again, keeping his fingers entwined firmly in her hair as he pressed his lips to hers. Despite her disgust and rage and killing intent, she felt a liquid heat began to burn between her legs, and to her horror, as his tongue once more parted soft, pink lips, a lusty moan rose up from within her.

XXXXX

Kakashi burst through the double doors of the club, destroying the lock that held them shut. The loud sound probably alerted everyone in the building to his presence but he couldn't care about stealth at the moment. He needed to find Sakura and fast because it had been Dajuku's name that had been written on that piece of paper.

That meant the club owner was in involved somehow in the kidnapping and slave trade of the very women he had hired ninjas to protect. Even when he put all the pieces together, gaps remained in the puzzle, but he was fairly certain Sakura was next on the list of women to be stolen away.

Kakashi noticed a light on in Dajaku's office, the door cracked open, and Kakashi wasted no time in moving in close to peek inside. He sensed no other presence but Dajaku's, confirming he was alone in the room, his back was partially turned away, remaining oblivious to the fact he was being watched as he gleefully thumbed through a rather large stack of bills.

That meant Dajaku had probably just made a sale, and a knot tightened in Kakashi's stomach as he realized Sakura had probably been the goods.

Anger overcame him, overlaying a red film across his vision until everything appeared in shades of crimson. How dare he sell the woman he loved as if she were no better than a sack of rice or dispensable livestock. All the women he had sold in the past were now suffering unspeakable horrors, becoming sex toys for those who could afford them. Dajaku had just sentenced Sakura to the same fate just so he could stuff his pockets.

Forgoing stealth and protocol, forgetting he was undercover, Kakashi burst through the door and slammed the balding man against the wall. His hand was around Dajaku's thick throat before his victim could do so much as gasp in surprise. Paper bills fluttered from grimy fingers to scatter across the floor but Kakashi didn't even spare them a glance.

"You fucking scum," the shinobi seethed, uncovered eye ablaze with black fire. "Where is she?"

"W-w-who? I d-don't know what—"

Kakashi's hand tightened around the club owner's windpipe as his dark eye narrowed.

"Don't fuck around with me," he growled. "I know what you've been up to you sick freak. You aren't giving these girls a safe haven to live. You're just exploiting them at your dirty little club until you can sell them off to the slave trade."

Dajaku's silver eyes widened, clearly shocked to have his carefully crafted plan flung back in his face.

"Selling normal girls wasn't enough for you so you had to go and hire a kunoichi, claiming her job was to save the very girls you were selling." Kakashi spat. "And judging by that money you were holding, I'd guess you just made a sale. So I'm going to ask you again. Where. Is. She."

Dajaku was trembling, a greasy film of sweat developing on his face.

"Let me go," he sniveled. "You have no right to interfere with my business operations.

What I do with my employees is my business."

Kakashi growled in rage, hauling the smaller man forward only to slam him back against the wall.

"Sakura was not your employee," he snarled, his voice low and dark with anger. "If you don't tell me where she is I will personally tear out your heart and let you watch me cut it into tiny pieces in your last moments.

"All right!" Dajaku screamed, resolve crumbling as fear consumed him. "Yeah, Sakura is gone, but it wasn't my fault. It was him! He made me do it! I didn't have a choice so you shouldn't be punishing me."

"Who's 'he?'" Kakashi demanded.

"Koudo. He's a highly skilled freelance shinobi, one of the best. Right now he's working for a big shot politician up in Northern Rock Country because he pays well. The politician is heading up the operation with the girls, starting a personal collection I guess you could say. Eventually he realized there was a market for programmable women and started a business."

"And you provide the women," Kakashi spat, disgusted with the whole prospect.

"Well, not at first, but now I do. They turn a higher profit as slaves than they do dancers. This place takes a lot of money to run, so you can see the position I'm in."

Kakashi took in the silk shirt, designer slacks, the copious rings filled with precious stones and the stench of expensive cologne. He made the girls he exploited buy their own food, and most of their own clothes. As far as Kakashi could see, he put just enough money into his establishment to keep it from falling down, and let his dancers only keep a fraction of what they made. Dajaku didn't need this money, although even if he did, it still wouldn't justify his actions. The fact he kept the girls in poverty while he reaped the benefits, only to turn around and sell them to a crueler fate made Kakashi want to hurt this man…hurt him very badly.

"You son of a bitch."

The voice was full and feminine, but currently held such a cold hard edge, that it sliced through the air like a knife.

Both male heads turned to find the remaining four girls standing in the doorway with various expressions of shock and rage. Kakashi didn't know how long they had been standing there but apparently it had been long enough to hear what Dajaku had planned for them.

Tora stood at the front, cobalt eyes blazing. She had been the one to speak, and from the look of it, both she and Kitsune looked about ready to relieve Kakashi of the job of killing their boss and do it themselves.

"Girls!" Dajaku cried, eyes going so wide that the whites could be seen around the entire silver iris. "It's not what you think! Believe me, I want nothing but what's best for you."

"Shut up," Tora roared. "I ought to slit your throat with your gold plated letter opener, you greedy, shameless, pathetic excuse for a man. You're disgusting! How could you pretend to worry about us like that when you were the one we should be afraid of all along?"

"Yeah," Kitsune chimed in, violet eyes flashing dangerously as she shouldered her way into the room, looking incredibly intimidating despite her slender stature. "All those times you assured us the missing girls would be found…Aya, Miyabi, and now Hana too. You were the one that sold them out in the first place! How do you sleep at night?"

"B-but, you see, you're getting it wrong. I didn't, I mean…" Dajaku whimpered, realizing his club could very well fall apart if all his dancers left him.

"Shut up," Kakashi ordered, shaking him hard. "Now, you're going to tell me where this politician is so I can go there and get back what you unlawfully sold, and you better hope to god it's not too late. If it is, not even your mother will be able to identify your body after I'm done with you."

Dajaku shrank further into the wall as if he hoped he could sink through it and escape the scathing stares fixed upon him.

"I can't tell you who he is," he whimpered. "I swore to keep it a secret. If word gets out that he's involved in a scandal like this, it will ruin him and he'll come looking for me to return the favor."

Kakashi drew back his fist in preparation to knock some information out of the club owner, but Tora stopped him.

"Let me," she said.

Still holding the human worm in place, Kakashi allowed the enraged brunette to draw close, her hands balled tightly into fists. She glared at her employer before delivering, not the open-palmed slap that Kakashi had expected from her, but a punch powerful enough to snap Dajaku's head back as it connected with his jaw.

"Tell him what he wants to know," Tora seethed. "Because if you don't, I promise nothing your politician boss can come up with will be worse than what we are going to do with you, honey."

If he hadn't been so angry, Kakashi might have smirked at her remark. She had enough fire and spirit to make a great kunoichi, and apparently she packed a mean right hook as well.

Instead of showing amusement, he lifted his eye patch, exposing his Sharingan to all present. The girls gasped, shocked by the strange red and black orb and Tora took a step backwards, looking at Kakashi with a mixture of awe and fear. However, Dajaku knew that whatever ability this strange eye allowed the shinobi to do was bound to be bad news for him and he didn't want to wait and see what the Konoha ninja had planned.

"Alright!" the club owner sniveled, futilely trying to twist out of Kakashi's grip. "I'll tell you. His name is Iyashii. He's a prevalent figure in the North Western part of Rock where towns actually vote for their officials. He's kept order in an otherwise chaotic region and brought great prosperity to the area so he's popular with the public, but if word of this gets out…"

"He can kiss his position good bye," Kitsune finished, comprehending the situation but not giving a damn what happened to such a slimy political figure."

"Well, now that you know, does that mean we can kill him now?" Tora asked, looking like she wouldn't mind being the one to put a knife through his heart.

Misaki, blue eyes wide, covered her mouth with a trembling hand and Jitsu looked away, neither of them able to stomach the sight of death even after all Dajaku had forced them to endure.

"Wait," Kakashi said, holding up a warning hand. "I still need him. He's coming with me to Rock."

"What?" Dajaku gasped, focus snapping towards Kakashi. "But why? I've only been to Iyashii's estate once years ago."

"That's more times than I have. You'll guide me there and if you mislead me, I swear I will kill you on the spot," the shinobi growled.

"You can't take me all the way there," Dajaku pleaded, hands grasping weakly at the fingers squeezing his neck. "You have no right to—"

"Shut up."

All heads turned to the one that had spoken, and Jitsu, showing a strength that none had seen her exhibit before.

"Don't talk about rights Dajaku, not when you sold away ours. You sold my best friend, Aya. You made me kill my unborn child. You made me undress in front of strangers every night, claiming you knew what was best for me and I obeyed…but not anymore. Take that dirty money on the floor and get out, and if you manage to save at least Hana's life, it will be the least you can do to make up for all that you've done."

For a moment, nobody said a word, too shocked by the petite woman's outburst.

"Jitsu," Dajaku said at last. "You…you ungrateful little bitch!"

If he could have lunged at her, he would have, but Kakashi activated his Sharingan, dark teardrops spinning in a sea of crimson. One look into them had Dajaku falling unconscious.

Kakashi slung his limp body over one shoulder as the girls looked on, the dancers unsure whether they should feel grateful or frightened.

"Is there a train in town that runs to Rock?" he asked, knowing that carrying an uncooperative, or even unconscious Dajaku would slow him down greatly.

"Yes, the train station is across town. I don't know the schedule but I know a train runs in that direction."

Kakashi nodded and turned to go when Misaki stopped him.

"So…you're not really Hana's boyfriend…are you?"

The shinobi shook his head.

"No. And her name isn't Hana. It's Sakura. I'm her mission partner. I'm a shinobi…we both are."

A collective gasp went through the group at the news. Apparently Sakura had hid her true identity well.

"We were on assignment to find who was kidnapping the girls here, but I guess we know the answer to that now."

"Bring her back," Kitsune said, her voice soft but pleading. "I don't care who she is or what her name is. She's my friend… my sister…no matter what."

Three other heads nodded in agreement and Kakashi admired Sakura's ability to make such friendships in a short amount of time.

"I'll bring her back," he promised, turning towards the front door. He was surprised how much he really meant it. He would face hell and all of its demons if that's what it took to save the woman he loved. He only hoped it didn't come to that.

With an unconscious Dajaku still over his shoulder, he emerged into the gray light of dawn and leapt to the rooftops, running full speed in the direction of the train station.

XXXXX

Dull pain greeted Sakura as she slipped back into wakefulness. A quick look around told her that she was no longer on a train, but inside a large and rather posh looking house. Perhaps a castle would have been a better description of her location, for the vaulted ceiling of the circular room was dozens of feet overhead, and the windows alternated between crystal clear panes and intricate, abstract designs in a rainbow of stained glass.

The crimson carpet beneath her was thick and plush, though it had done little to cushion the harsh fall that had undoubtedly woke her up. Koudo was sneering above her, daring her to do something about the way he had roughly dropped, but her limbs were still heavy and sluggish, proving she was still under the influence of the mysterious drug.

The kunoichi had no recollection of traveling from the train to her current location, and she could only assume she had fallen asleep again upon her captor's orders. Tsurenai lay beside her, still sound asleep and oblivious to her predicament. Sakura guessed that the woman's unconditioned body could not metabolize the drug as fast as herself, although the sight that greeted her made her wish she was still unconscious.

Sitting in a single gilded chair, so ornate and intricately carved that it looked like a throne, was a man that could only be described as repulsive. He would have been unattractive enough at a normal weight, dull brown eyes sitting above a piggish nose while large ears framed his oddly round head, but the man had to be at least two hundred pounds overweight.

His neck was practically obscured by numerous chins, and jowls hung on either side of his mouth, making him look more like an overfed bulldog than a person. His amorphous form was squeezed into a stately jacket, adding to the illusion of a king on his throne, although Sakura couldn't help but wonder if garments were actually made in such a tremendous size or if all his clothes were custom made to fit his incredible girth.

Despite his gruesome obesity, the thing that disgusted her most was the way he was currently looking at her. Many a man had looked at her the exact same way as she had danced in the club, hungrily, lustfully, shamelessly. No man had previously had such repugnant features on which to display such blatant desire, and the sight of him all but raping her with his gaze while she remained unable to slap the look off his disgusting face was both infuriating and a little frightening.

Koudo dropped to one knee, bowing his head respectfully as the large man struggled out of his chair with a grunt, needing tremendous effort to hoist himself from his seated position.

"I've brought you both girls as requested, Iyashii-sama" the yellow eyed shinobi declared, gesturing toward the two women he had just previously dumped so unceremoniously on the floor.

"Excellent," the large man wheezed, tottering forward to examine Sakura more closely. "Is the pinkie my new bodyguard?"

"Yes," Koudo replied, straightening to join his master in staring down at their prisoner. "She's the one Konoha sent. Even prettier than a Hyuuga isn't she?"

"Beautiful," Iyashii chuckled thickly, greedy eyes roving her form as if trying to see underneath the clothes she wore. "I can't wait to break her in once she's undergone the procedure."

Though Sakura's head was still fogged, she remembered hearing of a politician in Rock Country with the same name. She had only seen pictures in a newspaper she had glimpsed while in Fuzen Machi, but she knew that if this man before her had been featured she would have remembered. She remembered the man she saw being younger, handsomer, and certainly a great deal slimmer. Perhaps it was just a coincidence? Yet the thought of someone as wealthy as a popular politician financing such an operation made sense. It could also explain why both Kakashi and she had had such a hard time finding the culprit. The real leader was hours away from Fuzen, and was likely using a false name in his criminal dealings as well as sending men to do his dirty work for him.

Turning to his shinobi servant Iyashii asked, "She's awake now. I though the drug ensured she'd be unconscious during her trip here. Does the injection not work well on kunoichi?"

Koudo smiled knowingly.

"Well, our little Sakura here is very special. Not only is she a high level kunoichi, but she's also one of the best medics in Fire Country, taught by the Hokage herself. Her body can break down the drug faster so she needs a higher dosage. The procedure may take a little longer than usual, but I assure you that even she is not resistant to the effects of the drug."

"Are you certain?" Iyashii asked warily, eyeing the woman gazing hatefully at him with suspicion. "I can't have her turning on me. Her loyalty must be absolute. She must respond to me and me alone."

"I tested her myself, and let me assure you that everything went perfectly. She was quite obedient."

Koudo's smile widened as he gave Sakura a wink, a gesture that only made Sakura angrier as he spoke again.

"She's also quite responsive and has the dirtiest little mouth I've ever heard. She's incredibly flexible, has incredible stamina, and if you warm her up enough, she's quite the screamer when she comes."

Despite the rage boiling through her veins, Sakura could do little more than twitch, although she managed to curl her lip into a vicious snarl even if she couldn't form a seething insult to accompany the expression. She was even weaker than she had felt on the train and she wondered if Koudo had given her another injection while she was asleep.

Hearing of what Sakura had in store, Iyashii's gaze returned to her, his expression even lustier than before as he imagined trying out Sakura's nubile body himself.

"So much spirit," he mused, seeing her hateful expression. "I do hope the good doctor can break her quickly. I want to play with my new toy as soon as possible."

He licked his thick lips in a way that made Sakura want to shudder, but she was too weak and her body too unresponsive to oblige her.

"The other one is Dajaku's old poster girl. She's the one that was specially ordered?"

"Yes," the large man replied, finally dragging his gaze from Sakura to the purple haired woman next to her. "I have a friend who saw her picture and immediately offered to pay anything for her. Once the procedure is finished, I'll have her delivered. The price she'll fetch will practically pay for my next campaign entirely."

Sakura heard the sound of a door opening and shifted her eyes to the side to see a striking brunette enter the room. The maid uniform she wore was quite short and almost indecently low cut, but she didn't seem self conscious at all. Despite her distance, Sakura noticed at once that there was something peculiar about her eyes. Their tawny depths seemed dull, lifeless, like the glass eyes of a doll or stuffed bear.

"Iyashii-sma, your ride is here to take you to your conference," she said with a bow, her voice monotone and equally lifeless.

"Already?" the large man sighed, seeming reluctant to take his eyes away from Sakura. "Very well."

The kunoichi watched in astonishment as the man's thick fingers came together in the familiar hand seals for a henge jutsu. With a puff of smoke, Iyashii's obese visage was gone, replaced with a man slimmer, taller, and the spitting image of the man she had seen in the newspaper photograph.

"Koudo," he spoke, his voice smoother, richer, pleasant. "Take these two to the facility and have Midari start on them immediately."

"Of course," the shinobi said with a bow as his master turned to follow the scantily clad maid out the door.

Sakura couldn't make sense of what she had just seen, tongue still too thick and heavy to form words as her mind reeled. Was Iyashii a shinobi posing as a civilian? He lacked the musculature to be a ninja, his obese frame making it hard for him to simply walk without immense effort, and yet he undoubtedly had the ability to manipulate chakra.

Koudo returned to her side, yellow-green eyes glinting as he took in her motionless form. As if able to read her frantic thoughts, he spoke.

"You want to know how he can form hand seals when he's not a shinobi, don't you?"

The kunoichi couldn't answer, but she didn't have to as Koudo continued on his own.

"He never would have gained the political power he has now if he appeared in his real form. Iyashii-sama is a smart man and was aware of this. He hired a shinobi to teach him how to cultivate his chakra enough to perform henges for an extended period of time. It also allows him to bind women to him that have had the procedure. Only chakra can be used to make the subject fully obedient to a single person.

He watched her as the information sunk in, although she was too paralyzed to give much of a reaction.

"As for the procedure, you'll find out all about that very shortly," he sneered, once again hoisting Sakura over one shoulder, and the still sleeping Tsurenai over the other.

He exited the room which led out into another larger room with the same crimson carpet and lavish furnishings in what appeared to be an immense mansion.

Still helpless and unable to fight back, Sakura could only hope that some how, some way, Kakashi would find her.

XXXXX

After seven long hours, the train finally pulled into the station Dajaku had pointed out. The backstabber had awoken an hour or so into the trip but threats of severe bodily harm had kept him quiet and cooperative. He managed to get the city's name out of him; Houseki. He recalled hearing of it once or twice but had never been there before.

Warning him to stay close, Kakashi stepped off the train to find himself in a rich and prosperous city. Storefronts offered fine silks and satins in a rainbow of colors, and Kakashi would have been skeptical of anyone paying such high prices if the people around him hadn't been dressed in those very fashions. Colored bits of glass were embedded in the paved walkways, making them glitter and sparkle in the afternoon sunlight. Such a place made Konoha look modest in comparison, and Kakashi couldn't believe that Rock of all places, a country usually associated with rogue ninjas and dangerous bandits, had a city like this.

Noticing how Kakashi was taking in his surroundings, Dajaku spoke.

"This is Houseki, Rock's sparkling jewel. It was a rich city that has grown richer under Iyashii's rule. However, fifty miles in every direction lays barren country full of bandits, so few people travel by anything but train."

Kakashi surmised that if a man were to set up a slave trade, this would be the place. People here were too wrapped up in their own pompous lives to pay much attention to their surroundings. Few people milling among the busy streets seemed to notice him and those who did shot disapproving glances at his ratty clothes. Rich business men with money to burn could buy themselves a personal sex toy and the populous would be oblivious to the crime happening under their noses.

"Where is Iyashii's estate?" Kakashi asked, pulling Dajaku in close so as not to be overheard.

The club owner turned, scanning the rolling hills that surrounded the city.

"There," he said, pointing to an incredibly large house on the highest hill. It was miles away and looked quite small, but Kakashi could tell Iyashii's humble home was nothing less than a small castle.

"All right, let's get going," the shinobi said, knowing it would take a while to climb all the way to the top, especially if they met with resistance. He was sick with worry about Sakura's safety and hoped he wasn't too late. Dajaku had said that he didn't know much about the procedure used to drain the will from the victimized women, but he guessed it was a somewhat lengthy process. Kakashi could only hope he was right.

He pulled Dakaku after him but the club owner was reluctant.

"Why do you still need me with you?" he whined. "I showed you where his house is. Just let me go!"

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed dangerously.

"I don't think you're in any position to be making requests," he growled. "You're coming."

With that, the shinobi hauled Dajaku in the direction of the tall hill, ignoring passer by's curious stares as his captive whimpered with self pity and fear.

Dark clouds hung on the horizon, pushed towards the city by a chilling wind. It was as if the weather itself was warning the travelers to turn back from the dangers that awaited them, and Kakashi guessed that the clouds would soon blot out the sunny sky he had missed for so long.

"Come on," he growled, urging Dajaku to move faster, struck with an even greater sense of urgency to find the woman he loved.

XXXXX

Sakura was unable to turn her head to get a better look at her surroundings, her body still limp as a rag doll as Kudou carried her down a darkened stairway. The stairs seemed to be spiraling steeply downward so she assumed this portion of Iyashii's mansion was underground but she couldn't be sure.

There was little evidence of the rich luxury that had been prevalent in the previous room. The floor and walls were stone, and the narrow passageway was lit dimly by overhead lights, making it look more like medieval catacombs than a wealthy politician's home.

Sakura assumed that few people had seen the place she was being taken to, or Iyashii would never have risen to be the popular figure he currently was.

The stairs ended at a heavy wooden door which Kudou easily pushed aside, and Sakura suddenly found herself in a room that looked like some nightmarish hybrid of a science laboratory and a medical clinic.

Cloudy liquids bubbled over Bunsen burners while several beakers partially full of unknown chemicals sat close by. Another table held a full set of surgical instruments, all sparkling clean and gleaming malevolently under the harsh fluorescent lighting. The far side of the surprisingly large room housed dual rows of foldable cots, two of which were occupied, and Sakura managed to gather the strength to gasp aloud when she saw that Miyabi was on the nearest cot. She was hooked up to an IV and seemed to either be comatose or in an incredibly deep sleep.

Hovering over the brunette was a man in a white lab coat, and though he was small in stature, Sakura could immediately see the confidence in his movements, the grandiose of his presence as he moved about in his natural environment. His nose was sharp, almost birdlike, and his dark eyes magnified behind a pair of steel-rimmed bifocals. His black hair was neatly plaited into a braid that reached the center of his back and as soon as he finished his task with the IV, he looked up to fix his cool, clinical stare on Sakura first, and then the unconscious Tsurenai slung over Kudou's other shoulder.

"I have two new ones for you Doctor," the yellow eyed shinobi announced, carrying them over to the beds.

"Very good," he replied. "Which one is the shinobi?"

"Pinkie here," Kodou grinned as two women appeared to help maneuver an unconscious Tsurenai onto the bed while Sakura was arranged on the cot next to here. "She's also a medic. One of the best, I've heard, so she can metabolize your drug a lot faster than usual."

"She will require extra care then," the doctor said, fixing her with his magnified stare. "I've never performed the procedure on a kunoichi. The data collected here will be useful."

The women who had materialized were both slender and brunette, and were both dressed in ridiculously short nurse's uniforms, complete with white thigh high stockings trimmed with white lace and garter belts. The tops of their uniforms were cut absurdly low, showing ample amounts of cleavage that could only be produced with a push-up bra, and on their feet were white stilettos. Sakura had never seen a more impractical outfit and wondered how they could wear them all day. Their hair was immaculately styled and their makeup perfect, kohl rimmed eyes and glossed lips making them look like they were ready for a pin-up photo shoot at any moment.

Sakura would have wondered why the hell they were helping fellow females to such a horrible fate if she had not seen their eyes. One set brown, one blue, were both glassy and vacant, just as the servant in Iyashii's chamber had been. These women were but shells of what they had once been, now just porcelain dolls with pretty faces, doing any task they were ordered to do in any outfit they were ordered to wear.

Despite her weakness, Sakura felt bile rise at the back of her throat. Had these women been dancers at a club too or did they have homes and families that they would never see again? The thought was too much and she managed to turn her head to the side as she was sick, unable to stomach the sight of what these woman had become, what she would become.

The blue eyed brunette immediately turned to clean up the mess at a snap of the doctors fingers while the other cleansed the crook of Tsurenai's elbow with an antiseptic swab before piercing her skin with the IV needle.

"How long do you think the kunoichi will need?" Kudou asked, stepping away from the mess Sakura had left at the side of her bed, giving her a disgusted glance.

"I'm not sure. She will definitely need longer than the others but I can't be sure. Tell Iyashii-sama that his newest acquisition should be ready in a few days and the escapee we caught has another week at the most."

"Good, he'll be pleased," Kudou said.

Glancing at Sakura once more, the shinobi smirked and blew her a kiss before leaving the room.

The doctor, whose name she assumed was Midari, bent over her form as the nurse cleaned up the last of Sakura's mess. The kunoichi noticed that when she bent over, the uniform rode up, exposing indecent amounts of thigh and even a flash of lacy white panties.

The doctor turned her face back towards him before she could look any more, brushing rose colored strands from her eyes as he examined her.

"Well aren't you a pretty one," he remarked with a cruel smirk. "And able to regain consciousness even after a double dosage of the drug. Incredible. I suppose it's only natural for a medic nin though."

Sakura felt nausea and rage and fear all at once, but couldn't vocalize any of it, couldn't act, couldn't move. All she could do was stare back with angry green eyes and wait for him to make his move.

The doctor's gloved hand fell to her breast, running over it softly before traveling down her stomach to the waistband of her sweats and to her horror, he pulled them and her panties down on one side until her sex was revealed.

"Well, well," the doctor mused, staring at the small tuft of hair crowning her mound. "You are a natural pinkie. Interesting."

He pulled her clothes back in place and grabbed an antiseptic swab, cleaning the skin on her arm in preparation for the IV.

She couldn't struggle, couldn't fight, couldn't call out for help as the needle pierced her skin, and she was afraid that this would be the last time she would view the world as Sakura Haruno, for when she awoke, she would be nothing more than robot, a soulless creature uncaring of what anyone did to her.

Kakashi hadn't come to her rescue and the thought of him made her heart ache. She wished she could see him one more time, see that beautiful face he never showed to others, kiss those sweet lips and feel his strong arms around her. The thought of never seeing him again scared her more than even the loss of her self. Why was he being taken away from her when she had just found in him feelings she thought she would never know? Not just the feelings of lust, pleasure and desire, but of longing and comfort and incredible happiness…and love? Was it love? Did she really love Kakashi Hatake? She supposed she truly did, but then the needle pierced her vein and something cold and numbing began to flow into her bloodstream.

Her shinobi senses immediately picked up on the chakra that was being flushed into her system along with the countless other substances in the chemical cocktail and she supposed it was Iyashii's, the man whom she would forever obey upon her awakening.

Her eyes drifted shut as she lost consciousness, her last thoughts being of Kakashi as tears escaped from beneath her eyelashes, cutting wet trails down her cheeks as she succumbed entirely to the darkness.

XXXXX

That's all for now. I'll be going to an anime convention so that will delay the next chapter. Expect an update sometime in August or September.


	22. Chapter 22

Many thanks to nimblnymph for taking the time to beta this chapter.

I don't own Naruto. Never have, never will.

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Stripped Bare- Chapter 22

Naruto ran fast as his body could carry him, ignoring the burning in the muscles of his legs as the tall grass on either side of him flew by in blurs of brown and green. His incredible stamina was the only reason he had been able to keep up such an intensive pace for so long. Although he could keep running like this for hours, fueled by anxiety and adrenaline, fatigue was beginning to show in his teammates who weren't so lucky as to have the energy stores of the Kyuubi inside of them.

"Come on, we're almost there," the blond called impatiently to the shinobi behind him, desperate to get to Sakura as quickly as possible.

"Naruto," Yamato said sternly, speeding up so that they were side by side. "Rushing in recklessly won't help Kakashi or Sakura, and at his rate we'll be too exhausted to help once we get there. We need to slow down."

The whiskered man practically growled in frustration.

"But she could be in trouble, and we—"

"And we'll be too tired to help her if we drain our chakra reserves before we get there," Yamato finished, placing a hand on his shoulder and forcing the ambitious shinobi to slow down.

Sasuke and Sai were both panting hard, almost at their limit after maintaining such a grueling pace for most of the day. But neither complained, wanting as much as Naruto to get to Fuzen Machi. The two had been surprisingly well behaved during their journey, exchanging their usual stream of insults for stubborn silence. It seemed the haughty Uchiha and antagonistic artist were more concerned about their teammates than they cared to let on.

"We should arrive within the next hour or two," Yamato said, noting how the sun was starting to sink below the horizon. "We'll check in at the club and decide how to act from there and we will be subtle about it considering they are undercover. That especially goes for you, Naruto. Until then, we maintain a moderate pace. We've pushed ourselves too hard to go any faster."

Naruto nodded grudgingly, clearly not happy with Yamato's decision but willing to obey it anyway. He hoped that this whole mission would turn out to be a false alarm and that both of his friends would be perfectly fine. Maybe they would be proceeding with their mission, unaware of the worry they had caused in Konoha. And maybe if he was lucky, maybe he'd even be able to glimpse Sakura dancing at the club. The thought was so enticing that it almost took the edge off his worry, but then his mind snapped back into focus and he berated himself for thinking such things when Sakura might be in trouble.

They continued to race forward, passing by the towns that lay few and far between in the endless sea of grass, the swaying green stalks almost as tall as the people traveling through it. Soon, the rippling fields would give way to the harsh neon of the city which would mark their arrival to Fuzen Machi. While Yamato hoped to find his sempai safe and sound, his gut told him that Kakashi a been gone too long on a mission of this nature for things to be going smoothly.

XXXXX

Climbing the small mountain that housed Iyashii's mansion with Dajaku in tow had taken longer than Kakashi had anticipated. By the time he had hauled his captive over the first two gates encircling the manor, the shadows were beginning to lengthen in the golden light of the sun sinking lower and lower in the sky. The shinobi realized that he would be able to move with more ease and stealth if he left the club owner behind.

"You stay here, I'm going ahead," Kakashi whispered as they came to what seemed to be an expansive garden of immaculately maintained roses. Tall hedges surrounded either side and Kakashi knew the walls of foliage would need to be scaled if he wanted to continue.

"Stay here?" Dajaku squeaked, silvery eyes darting around nervously. "You're leaving me?"

"I thought you'd be happy considering you didn't want to come in the first place," Kakashi said coolly, checking his surroundings carefully for possible surveillance equipment or security guards.

"But how will I get back?" Dajaku whined, knowing he wouldn't be able to get back over the gates and walls without help from Kakashi. "What if I'm caught?"

"That's not my concern," The shinoni shrugged. "But if you alert them to my presence, I'll make sure you regret it later."

"You brought me here!" Dajaku cried, voice rising as hysteria set in. "You have a responsibility to get me back out!"

Kakashi reacted so fast that the balding man hardly saw him move. A hand clamped over his mouth while a kunai pressed against the tender flesh of his throat. The tip grazed his Adam's apple, making him afraid to swallow in case the motion caused the blade to nick him and draw blood.

"You want to talk about responsibility?" Kakashi seethed, his voice full of anger as cold as the metal. "How about the responsibility you had towards the women you claimed to take care of? Didn't they deserve safety in exchange for selling their bodies to every low life with a wad of cash?"

The hand over his mouth kept him silent, but if he had been allow to speak he would have done nothing more than stutter and whimper pathetically, tripping over his own excuses as he futilely tried to make excuses for himself.

"I'd be perfectly justified to slit your throat right here and leave you for dead," Kakashi growled. "But even someone as disgusting as you might still be useful."

The only sound that followed was the soft thump of Kakashi's hand connecting with the back of Dajaku's head, rendering the man instantly unconscious. The shinobi arranged the store owner's limp form in the shadows of a nearby hedge, making sure he'd be out of sight if anybody came through the area on a routine patrol.

With Dajaku indisposed, Kakashi easily vaulted the hedge and landed silently on the other side in the waning light. Slinking from shadow to shadow, appearing as intangible as the growing darkness, Kakashi worked his way toward what he guessed to be the back of the mansion. After a maze of hedges and one more gate, a manicured lawn was the last thing standing between him and his goal. A single security camera scanned the area but it moved so slow that it was almost comical, and Kakashi dashed to the building easily when it was looking the other way. Apparently, Iyashii had few enemies and seemed to think minimal security would keep him safe. It was too bad he had to go and make enemies with one of Konoha's greatest shinobi. Not even an the most advance security system would be enough to stop Kakashi now, not when the situation had gone from being an assignment to a personal vendetta. Death was coming for the politician on silent, sandaled feet, and Kakashi doubted there was anything Iyashii could say that would convince him to let him live to see the next sunrise.

In the lengthening shadows, he examined the building for a way in and found it almost immediately; a window on the third floor had been left carelessly cracked open. It was as if the pompous politician had sent Kakashi an invitation to enter his home. With a little chakra directed to the soles of his feet, the shinobi effortlessly ran up the wall, pausing only momentarily to slide the window the rest of the way open before slipping inside.

His feet touched down on soft, plush carpet and Kakashi found himself in a bedroom that was easily twice the size of his apartment. The king sized bed was decorated in of royal purple and blue, a matching canopy hanging overhead. All the furniture was elaborately carved and looked obscenely expensive, but despite the room's overwhelming gaudiness there was no evidence that this room had been occupied recently. It was probably just one of the many guest rooms in this ridiculously oversized house. Iyashii's personal bedroom was probably three times this size.

Kakashi wrinkled his nose beneath his mask in distain, finding the room to be garish and distasteful. It was even more infuriating that a man committing such atrocities as robbing young women of their very souls lived in such luxury.

Slinking across the room, the thick carpet cushioning his already silent footsteps, Kakashi turned the undoubtedly hand crafted doorknob to emerge into lengthy hallway with doors identical to the one he had just exited lining each side. Glass chandeliers illuminated the deserted area with a soft glow, the light refracted through hundreds of crystalline prisms. Small cultivated trees, their trunks growing in braids and spirals, sat in beautifully carved pots between every door on each side.

The mansion looked even bigger from the inside than it had from the garden and Kakashi feared he didn't have the time it would take to search for Sakura, not before Iyashii sentenced her to undergo the procedure that would drain away everything that made her who she was. The Copy Nin paused to reach out with his own chakra and searched hard for hers, looking for anything that might alert him to where she was being held.

There was nothing, not even a flicker of the kunoichi's chakra signature. Like it or not, it seemed Kakashi would be forced to go about looking for Sakura the hard way.

Closing the door behind him, he cracked open the next and slipped inside, searching each bedroom and adjacent bath. Every room seemed identical to the first one he had entered, save for the color scheme. One was dressed in the deepest emerald green, while another rich chocolate brown. Pale blue, shimmering aqua, deep crimson, silks and tapestries in every color were found in abundance, but there was no trace of anything pink, especially those long bubblegum tresses Kakashi had become so fond of.

He entered the last door on the hall and found nothing but a similar room furnished in silvery grey. There were no chakra remnants, no trace of her scent on the pillows or a pink strand of hair in the oversized claw foot bathtub. Kakashi couldn't help but suspect Sakura was being kept in a place a little less hospitable than this.

He reentered the hall, closing the door behind him, and froze when he heard the sound of soft footsteps. They were too light to be male. Mor than likely, they probably belonged to that of a woman or even an older child. Ducking behind the closest tree, Kakashi crouched down, hiding his chakra and holding his breath as he waited for the person approaching to come into view.

A moment later, a blonde woman in a maid uniform rounded the corner. She was quite pretty and about Sakura's age, but Kakashi could tell immediately there was something peculiar about her. Her uniform a was almost indecent in the way it was both incredibly short and extremely low cut, exposing most of her thigh and a great deal of impressive cleavage. Her makeup was perfect, too perfect for someone whose job was to make beds and wash bathtubs, and her hair fell around her face in perfect curls rather than being tied up for practicality,. Her gait was consistent, almost mechanical as she walked past Kakashi's hiding place without paying him any notice as she passed.

The shinobi detected no chakra in her and guessed her to be a civilian, but he crept up behind her with kunai drawn just in case. In one quick movement he had her pressed up against the wall, her face to the smooth plaster and his front to her back. One hand was over her mouth in case she tried to scream and the deadly point of his weapon was poised just above the flesh of her throat, letting her know that any abrupt movements could be her last.

"I'm not going to hurt you if you tell me what I want to know," Kakashi growled softly, keeping his voice low so as not to be detected but menacing enough to show her he was serious. "A woman with pink hair was brought to this mansion. I need to find her quickly. Tell me where she is."

He removed his hand from her mouth so she could reply, but when she spoke, her voice was even, calm and strangely monotonous. "You do not belong here. Leave now or I will activate the alarm."

"You're hardly in a position to be making requests," Kakashi hissed, pushing her against the wall roughly.

"This weapon isn't for show. I'll use it if I have to. Tell me where she is!"

Despite his threats and rough handling, she didn't even flinch, and her response was exactly the same as before, cool, calm, and as mechanical as her walk had been.

"You do not belong here. Leave now or I will activate the alarm."

Kakashi frowned in confusion at her odd response. She seemed completely unaffected by the danger she was in. He could feel her pulse beneath his fingers, but it was steady and slow, as was her breathing. Both should have been racing thanks to the adrenaline spike of being surprised by him, but she hadn't even gasped when he had grabbed her.

Pulling away from her slightly, he flipped her around so that her back was now pressed to the wall. It suddenly seemed very important to Kakashi to look at this girl's face, and what he saw drove the breath from his lungs.

The girl's pretty face was set in a blank expression, emotionless even in the face of danger, and her eyes-big brown eyes that should have been expressive and beautiful-were glazed and dull, revealing that while her body lived, she was dead inside. This was not a normal girl before him but a walking corpse. Her eyes were identical to those he had seen on the faces of the dead, unseeing and lifeless.

"You do not belong here. Leave now or I will activate the alarm."

This is what Sakura would become if he failed to find her. All of her life and vitality, the fire and spirit…the very thing that made her beautiful, that made him love her…would be gone. She would be lifeless the girl before him, a pretty doll with pink hair and dead, green eyes.

He would sooner face his own death than let Sakura become the walking dead. He refused to let her be transformed into something so horrible.

Knowing that the girl would be of no use, he released her and backed away before turning to flee down the hall. In all his years as an elite shinobi, he had seen many terrible things-things that had haunted him for years and continued to terrorize him in dreams. He knew that what he had witnessed today was one of those things, that whenever the memory surfaced, would make his blood run cold even on the warmest of days.

He dashed down the hall, searching for Sakura with renewed urgency as the blonde's lifeless voice echoed in his ears.

XXXXX

"This is the place," Yamato confirmed, standing before the establishment that could only be described as seedy.

"Sakura-chan has been living here?" Naruto asked incredulously, taking in the grimy brick and the tacky neon that would soon start to glow as daylight gave way to darkness.

"Of course, stupid. What did you expect?" Sasuke scoffed. "It's a strip club, not a five star hotel."

"Settle down," their leader barked, thankful that for the moment, Sai had chosen to remain silent. When the three of them were at each other's throats, it was difficult to maintain order, especially without Sakura to beat them into submission.

Their initial plan had been to wait until the club opened its doors for its nightly performance, but a large handwritten sign taped to the front door announced that the establishment would be closed until further notice.

"This doesn't seem right," Yamato mused. "This place should be open. Something must have happened."

"So, what do we do now?" Naruto asked anxiously, afraid that this new development might mean Sakura was in trouble.

"We should look around inside and speak to the owner," Sai suggested. "He was the one who hired Kakashi and Sakura in the first place so there's no harm in speaking with him."

Yamato nodded in agreement. Speaking with Dajaku seemed like a good place to start. He rapped lightly on the door, huddling further into the hooded jacket he and the others had donned to blend in with the crowds here. Secretly, he didn't think it helped much. Sai and Sasuke were way too pretty for this part of town and Naruto, while almost unrecognizable without his obnoxious orange outfit, still had whiskers on his face.

A long silence ensued with no reply and Yamato knocked again, harder this time. He was considering a search of the building for an alternate way of entry when one of the heavy double doors cracked open.

"What do you want? If you've come for a show, the club is closed."

While the voice held irritation and suspicion, it was warm and pleasant. Yamato suspected that when she dropped it to a lower register, it had the potential to be incredibly sexy, but that was no surprise when looking at the rest of her. Long red hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail with the shorter pieces framing her face, the crimson hue accented striking purple eyes which were currently narrowed suspiciously. Although the door was only cracked, it allowed him to glimpse a long, lithe body, curves current encased in a worn tank top and tight, threadbare jeans.

"We have some business with the owner of this place. We'd like to speak with him if he's available," Yamato said amiably, giving her a winning smile in hopes to ease some of her trepidation.

Unfortunately, his actions seemed to have the opposite effect. Violet eyes scanned the four faces before her, apparently not liking what she saw.

"Business?" she scoffed. "Did Dajaku invite you here to pick out a personal plaything too? How much are you paying him for an obedient fuck toy? One million? Two million?"

"I beg your pardon?" Yamato asked, clearly baffled by the beautiful woman's spiteful words. Naruto, who had been gazing dreamily at the dazzling woman, frowned in confusion. Sai and Sasuke seemed similarly baffled.

"I supposed it doesn't matter," she said bitterly. "First Aiya and Miyabi, now Hana…no…Sakura. They're all gone now."

At their comrade's name, the shinobi team instantly stiffened. How did this woman know Sakura's real name? They were under the assumption she had picked an alias while she was here, and now she was gone? Something was definitely amiss.

"Where has Sakura-chan gone?" Naruto blurted out, the concern in his voice audible.

Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head, annoyed that their blonde team mate had just blown their cover. The red headed woman however was looking at them with a little less suspicion.

"You know Sakura? Are you all ninja too like that tall guy that was with her?"

"Yes," Yamato said slowly, surprised that she knew so much. "We were sent to back her up since we never heard a report from them since they left. Are they here?"

The red head bit her lip and seemed to be debating whether to trust them or not, but finally she opened the door wider and motioned them inside.

"I think you had better come in," she said. "There's a lot you need to know about."

XXXXX

Kakashi growled in frustration. This place was so damn huge that he was beginning to think he would never find Sakura. All he had gained from his methodical searching of room after room was a greater feeling of disgust towards Iyashii. His lavish décor was bad enough, but he had run into three more maids, all incredibly young and beautiful and devoid of any vitality, any life.

They were all soulless dolls who didn't so much as gasp in alarm when he cornered them and asked where their master was.

He passed portrait after portrait of a fair haired man and he could only assume that it portrayed was the man he was looking for. He was fit, though not enough to be a shinobi, with an arrogant smirk gracing his lips in most pictures. When Kakashi found him, he would make sure his features were contorted in a grimace of pain before he was through with him.

There was almost no light filtering through the large windows, telling Kakashi that he had been searching for over an hour. Soon it would be dark. He was just about to search the Western wing of the mansion when he heard a feminine cry echo down the hallway. It was distant, but perhaps it could lead him to Sakura.

He moved quickly and silently, easily slipping by another maid who seemed too engrossed in her work to notice the quiet shadow slinking by. He heard the voice again and followed it, afraid that his former student was crying out in pain, calling for help, and Kakashi prayed he wasn't too late.

The cries led him to a hall where a large set of double doors at the end was left ajar.

The shinobi crept closer, silently creeping inside to find a darkened sitting room that was larger than most of the bedrooms he had explored.

"Oh! Ohhh…Iyashii-sama!"

Kakashi's head snapped towards the sound, finding a small stream of light spilling from another door at the far end of the room.

That meant the lord of the castle was on the other side of that door.

He made his way to the door and brought his hand to the jeweled doorknob. It turned easily and the door swung inward on oiled hinges, granting Kakashi a repulsive view of what was going on inside.

In the middle of the giant room was a four post bed, so intricately carved that it couldn't belong to anyone else but Iyashii, but the man on the bed certainly didn't look like the one he had seen in the pictures. To say he was fat was an understatement. His nude flesh was so plentiful that it seemed to spread out, oozing over the silken sheets as he lay on his back.

His large form dwarfed the woman atop him, her long blonde hair spilling down her back as she bounced up and down, a physical exertion that was certainly too much for her partner. Even in the dim light, he could see that her make-up was perfect. The only other time he had seen a woman having sex with such immaculate hair and make up was in pornographic films. Everything about her was unnatural. Her moans were hollow, and her rhythm was unwavering, not even for a moment. She was another one of his dolls, doing whatever he commanded, even if it meant mounting such a sickening male specimen.

The display was appalling, but left Kakashi puzzled. If this was Iyashii, who was the man in all the pictures? Perhaps the politician had a stand in for public appearances, because he certainly wouldn't have gained much popularity looking like that.

The couple had yet to notice him. Iyashii's eyes were closed and his face was sweating. He grunted like a pig while his toy rode him hard and fast, calling his name just as she had been programmed to. Too disgusted to watch any longer, Kakashi drew a kunai from his holster and walked over to the bed silently. It wasn't until he stood beside them that the politician opened his eyes. He only had a second to glimpse Kakashi's masked face before the shinobi drove the kunai into the pillow his head rested on, the weapon coming so close to his flesh that he could feel the cool steel on his cheek.

Iyashii's carnal sounds of lust turned to a high, panicked scream as he struggled to throw the girl off of him while simultaneously trying to scramble away.

"Who the hell are you?" he shrieked, finally slipping free of the beautiful blonde and shoving her aside. She lay quietly on her back among the disheveled sheets, unconcerned by Kakashi's presence as she stared vacantly at the ceiling.

"Where's Sakura?" the Copy Nin growled, not even bothering to introduce himself, too enraged at the thought that every woman in this mansion suffered the same fate as the naked woman lying listlessly on the bed.

The politician tried to stagger away, catching his foot in the sheets and tumbling to the floor where he frantically scuttled into the far corner.

"S-Sakura? I d-don't know who you're—"

His sentence disintegrated into a scream of pain as Kakashi plucked the kunai from the ruined pillow and threw it. It sank deeply into Iyashii's gelatinous right thigh.

"You lie to me again and I'll slit your fucking throat," the shinobi growled, his voice cold and dangerous. It was taking every ounce of his willpower not to kill the sniveling worm on the spot, but if he did that, however great the satisfaction, he'd never find Sakura.

"W-what right do you have to come barging into my house?" Iyashii whimpered, watching in horror as blood began to seep from the wound over his flabby, pale skin.

"I might ask you what right you have to kidnap women and turn them into those…things," Kakashi replied, gesturing vaguely to the woman on the bed, who laid so still that if it wasn't for the shallow rise and fall of her chest he would have thought she was dead.

The politician said nothing, just stared fearfully at Kakashi with bulging eyes.

"You're newest toy is a friend of mine, a kunoichi. Pink hair, green eyes, I'm sure you know of her," the shinobi continued as he crouched down in front of the wounded man, cornering him like a predator would its prey.

"T-this is fucking ridiculous," the politician whined. "You can't—"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Kakashi ripped the kunai from the obese man's leg and held the point dangerously near his limp member, the shriveled flesh still wet with his woman's forced desire.

"If you don't tell me where she is right now, fucking will no longer be an option for you."

Iyashii's wheezing breaths became more rapid as blood began flowing steadily from the gash in his leg. He whimpered piteously as the kunai's deadly point grazed his tender skin.

"Alright, alight! I'll show you where she is! Just let me get some clothes on and—"

With surprising strength, Kakashi hauled the man to his feet and pushed him to the door, indifferent to the fact that Iyashii was probably three times his weight.

"No clothes. We're going now," he hissed dangerously, forcing the politician to limp naked in Sakura's direction, leaving a trailed of blood as he went.

XXXXX

Yamato and his team listened carefully to what the four remaining dancers at the club had to say as they all sat crowded around one of the tables in the club's main room. All of the women, though each very different, were all quite beautiful. More than once he'd caught Naruto staring dreamily at them, prompting the ANBU to give him a subtle kick beneath the table to refocus his attention.

Juu, the kind, but not terribly bright bouncer and janitor sat with them as well, frowning as he struggled to comprehend what had happened to the pretty girls he had helped care for. He didn't ask questions, but Yamato wondered how much of the story he actually understood.

And the story indeed seemed quite complex. Sakura had done well in blending in with the other girls, excelling at dancing after a few pointers from the veteran performers. Naruto, Sai and even Sasuke seemed to perk up, their interest piqued at the thought of their pink haired friend wrapped erotically around the poles in the room.

Apparently, Kakashi had been posing as Sakura's boyfriend. The dancers claimed she sometimes spent entire nights with him, a fact that had Naruto demanding to know what his former sensei's intentions were. The blond only grew more outraged to hear that many a man had been seduced by Sakura, taken to one of the small rooms to offer her money in return for a private dance session. Even Yamato was having a hard time imagining the kunoichi in such a light, using sex appeal instead of chakra and brute strength to get what she wanted. However, she must have been good at it because her fellow dancers didn't know she was a ninja until she was already gone.

"That bastard sold her out," Tora spat, jerking her head towards Dajaku's office. "That was his plan from the beginning. He's been selling all of us off to some guy in Rock Country. Her partner went after her and he took Dajaku with him. I hope he's not too late."

"Do you know where in Rock?" Yamato asked, sensing the urgency of the situation.

All four girls shook their heads.

"Dajaku never mentioned anything," Misaki spoke up, pulling at a blonde curl absently as she tried hard to think of anything that would help Sakura's friends.

"You could check his room," Jitsu said quietly. "We almost never go in there. He could have lots of information about what he's been up to and we would never know it."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Naruto exclaimed impatiently, as eager as ever to find his team mate.

Yamato nodded, knowing that searching Dajaku's room and office for clues was all they had to go on.

"That's a good idea," he replied. "Show us the way to his room."

XXXXX

Dajaku pulled himself to his feet, squinting groggily at his surroundings. It was past sunset, and the sky painted in the purple-gray hues of dusk that were rapidly fading to black. For a moment, he didn't know where he was. He looked up at the tall green hedges that surrounded him, but then he remembered his misfortune of being dragged all the way to Rock so that Sakura's homicidal partner could find her.

The club owner winced as he brought his hand to the back of his neck, finding a painful bump under his fingertips. He seemed to recall that Kakashi had knocked him out. He seethed quietly. If hauling him over walls wasn't bad enough, the red-eyed freak actually had the gall to leave him here.

Struggling to remember the path they had originally taken, Dajaku tried to retrace his steps. He wasn't about to wait around for the shinobi to return. If it was too late to save the pink haired bitch, her partner would surely go on a killing spree, and the balding man had no doubts that he would be on the list of people Kakashi would be sure to slay in his rage.

He stumbled along the grassy ground with tall greenery looming on either side. It appeared that Iyashii's garden had a hedge maze and Dajaku was currently in the middle of it. Unless he was able to climb it like Kakashi had, it would probably take a long time for him to get out.

He ran into one dead end after another, feeling sorry for himself. What right did Kakashi have dragging him here? The man wasn't supposed to have even accompanied Sakura on her mission. He had specifically requested one kunoichi, but her partner had to come ruin everything. He was just trying to make a living and it wasn't his fault the merchandise happened to be pretty girls. They were all wanderers, runaways, and nobody would miss them anyway. Shinobi died on missions all the time. Why couldn't things go according to plan and Konoha accept her disappearance as the loss of another loyal kunoichi?

And then there was the matter of his club. Now that the girls new what he was up to, they were likely to leave him, but Dajaku would find others. There were always pretty girls desperate enough to take their clothes off if it meant a roof over their heads. He'd find new dancers and start over, or maybe he'd just hire a little muscle and beat his current staff into submission.

Deep in his self pitying thoughts, Dajaku didn't notice that the more he wandered, the more lost he became. Everything looked the same and he had no idea if he was making any progress or simply walking in circles. Coming to another dead end, he turned around and was about to try a different direction when a deep growl caught his attention.

Blocking his path, was one of the biggest dogs Dajaku had ever seen, it's glossy black coat shimmering in the fading light. The thing that really caught his eye however were the gleaming white teeth that were currently bared at him, their size proportionate to the large dog.

The club owner swallowed nervously, momentarily frozen by fear as the dog advanced slowly, ears back and another low growl rumbling from its throat. Apparently, Iyashii's immaculately manicured grounds were protected better than he had previously thought.

Having nowhere else to run, Dajaku tried to run past the dog before it could pin him into a corner. Breaths coming in harsh wheezes, he nearly made it past, his arms and legs pumping hard, but the dog lunged out and seized a mouthful of his pants at the hip before shaking its head hard enough to bring him down.

Dajaku fell with a scream and tryed to crawl away but unable to escape the iron grip of the dog's bite. He kicked off his shoes and frantically wriggled out of his pants, leaving him in silky red and pink paisley that contrasted starkly with his pale skin.

The dog shook its head again, sending the contents of his pants pockets flying. Green paper bills spilled out and fluttered to the ground, making Dajabu hesitate a moment rather than run away. That was the money he had received for selling off Sakura, money that would allow him to build a whole new club from the ground up if he had to. Although he knew it would be foolish to try and retrieve it from the dog's snarling mouth, he couldn't help but give the large wad of cash one last look of longing.

Unfortunately, the money was the last thing he would ever see. The dog, having lost interest in the pants, dropped the garment and came after Dajaku. The club owner had barely run two steps before he felt sharp teeth sink into his leg. He fell hard, momentarily dazed by the pain and the fear as Iyashii's faithful dog released his leg and went for his throat.

XXXXX

"How much further?" Kakashi barked, shoving his naked captive along roughly. Crimson blood flowed down Iyashii's leg from the kanai wound in his thigh, and Kakashi hoped the stumbling politician could lead him to Sakura before he bled out.

"We're almost there. Please stop pushing me," the man whimpered piteously, words punctuated by wheezing breaths. Kakashi brought his kunai a little closer to the nape of his neck to encourage him to hurry up, having no patience or sympathy for the disgusting mass of naked flesh.

They had already descended down to the mansion's ground floor, a trail of crimson drops and smears in their wake. All the personnel they had encountered were part of Iyashii's personal harem and Kakashi almost laughed at the sheer arrogance and stupidity of such a prominent political figure having so little security in his home.

Threats of disembowelment made Iyashii tell his women that he was fine and not to sound the alarm. Having been programmed to do as told and lacking the power of judgment and free will, his maids stood passively, watching their unclothed master stagger past them.

Iyashii led his captor to a small study tucked away on the first floor and then to a closet in the corner. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing special about the small space, the coats hanging there perfectly ordinary. But then Iyashii lifted a trembling hand and moved the closet's back wall to the side, revealing it was just a folding screen that disguised a spiraling staircase.

"Your woman is at the bottom of these stairs," the politician panted, his brow sweating from the pain of his injury and the exertion of walking. "I did as you asked, now let me rest."

Kakashi's expression remained stormy, thunderclouds of rage and killing intent brewing in his exposed dark eye.

"You're coming with me downstairs," he ordered, his voice as cold and dangerous as the weapon he held in his hand.

The naked man shrunk away from him, sniveling just as Dajaku had done. These men seemed quite similar, thinking the world and everything in it was their's to do as they pleased because they had the money and the connections to cover up their atrocious acts.

"B-be reasonable," Iyashii stuttered. "I've taken you far enough. You don't need—"

"I suggest you start moving before I make you move," Kakashi hissed angrily.

The politician took a step towards the darkened stairwell, wincing as the pain from his wound tore up his leg. Nobody had ever treated him like this before and Iyashii's mind was still spinning at the shock of it. Desperate to do anything to get out of his predicament and save his business of selling female slaves, he made the mistake of assuming that Kakashi was as easily swayed by money as the rest of the people he associated with.

"I'll make you a deal," the politician smiled weakly, the charming effects lost without his more attractive henge in place. "I know assassins of your rank are paid handsomely, but if you walk away right now, leave me and my mansion, I'll give you so much money that you could retire tomorrow and live in luxury the rest of your life."

Kakashi's expression did not change. The dark anger still brewed beneath his steely gaze.

"Come on," Iyashii persuaded. "You'll never get another offer better than this. Besides, there are more kunoichi back in Konoha. Passing this up for the sake of one woman just isn't worth it."

The politician waited expectantly for an answer, his eyes starting to glaze over with the shock of blood loss.

Kakashi said nothing for a moment, his face tilted downwards so his fringe of silvery bangs covered his eyes, making his expression unreadable. And then suddenly, so quick that Iyashii was unable to follow his movement, his hand thrust forward and embedded the kunai he held into the politician's chest.

The naked man let out a startled scream as he felt the blade pierce him, sinking in up to the hilt. The force of Kakashi's attack drove him backwards and he lost his footing, tumbling down the stairs into the darkness.

Iyashii's enormous body rolled and tumbled down the stone steps, the sharp corners bruising tender skin and tearing at soft flesh. He finally came to rest at the foot of the stairs on his back with kunai still in his chest. The pain wasn't as bad as it could have been, for blood loss was making him dizzy, sleepy, and the masked face hovering over him was slightly out of focus.

"You deserve a death far more painful than this," Kakashi growled menacingly. "I should have made you suffer for what you did to those girls."

Iyashii realized that he was indeed going to die, that the wound to his chest was probably fatal. All he had had strived for, all the obstacles he had overcome to achieve such wealth and greatness would be for nothing. The shinobi standing over him would be his executioner.

The knowledge was both angering and frightening.

"You'll never get away with this," he croaked thickly. "I'm too important for my death to go unpunished. I have allies and they'll track you down."

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed while his hand reached for the hitai-ate covering the other.

"Fine. When they find me I'll kill them too."

The politician gasped as Kakashi's eye was revealed, a strange red orb that made him look more like a monster than a man.

"What the fuck are you?" Iyashii whispered, not having the strength to speak louder as his life slowly flowed from dual wounds.

The shinobi didn't reply but simply stared at him with that horrible red eye. Suddenly, the black tomoe within began to spin, pulling him deeper into his gaze. He couldn't look away as the black and red gave way to images that filled his senses as if he were in the middle of the scenes being showed to him.

The first was himself, naked as he was now, on the very bed he had so previously been dragged from. The sheets were stained by a dark pool of red the flowed from his throat, which had been slit by the kunai now stuck point down in the mattress. His eyes were bulging, glassy and lifeless. This was how he could have died if he weren't where he was now.

No sooner had he comprehended the first image than another consumed his senses. Him standing still, unable to run as Kakashi charged at him, blue energy surrounding his fist, its crackling sounding like the calls of screaming birds. And then that fist hit him in the chest, went through his chest and withdrew, leaving a gaping hole where his heart should have been. There was no blood, all the vessels having been instantly cauterized by the attack, and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Iyashii watched from a third person perspective as his body crumpled to the ground, dead from the shinobi's attack.

And then he saw himself tied with wire, arms pinned at his sides by the thin steel. Kakashi pulled the wire tighter, tighter, and with one jerk, the wire cut through him. It severed bone muscle and fat as easily as if he were made of wax, and left him severed in several bloody pieces.

He was tied to a chair, small pieces of paper with symbols on them pasted all over his body. He recognized them to be exploding tags but could do nothing to save himself as he watched his body burst apart, meaty bits of muscle and bone flying in all directions.

Image after image, all of them gruesome and sickening, filled his mind. It appeared Kakashi had many methods of ending human lives and was determined to share all of them with him.

As the crooked politician's heart finally beat its last, Iyashii died with his mind filled by the image of burning to death, set ablaze by Kakashi's katon jutsu.

Kakashi straightened, looking at the corpse at his feet blankly. The naked man's expression was one of utter fear, the look frozen on his face after the life had left him. Kakashi had only given him glimpses of what he would have liked to do to him, and the man had passed on before he could exhaust his tortuous list. His actual death had practically been merciful. If any of Iyashii's friends actually came looking for him, maybe he could dispose of them more creatively.

The shinobi turned and found a large wooden door that no doubt led to where Sakura was being kept.

He reached out, fingers wrapping around the iron handle, and pulled the heavy door open.

Bright fluorescent light streamed into the dark stairwell, revealing a room full of bubbling beakers and trays of clean, sharp surgical equipment. Kakashi's stomach turned at the thought of such instruments being used on his former student. The place was like a twisted mix of both a hospital and the laboratory of crazed scientist.

His eyes fell immediately too the patch of pink at the far end of the room and the sight made his chest constrict painfully.

He had found Sakura alright, but it appeared that he was too late.

XXXXX

Just a warning: this coming semester promises to be extremely busy. I will write when I can, but I may not get a chance to until Christmas time. If this fic is on hiatus, it's not because I've died, but because real life is kicking my ass.


	23. Chapter 23

Hey everyone! The update is finally here! I know a lot of you thought I'd abandoned this fic but that's not the case. I've just been really super busy as well as having an increasing lack of inspiration for this story. Don't worry, I'll finish it, but the words don't come as easily as they used to so the chapters take longer to write.

This chapter has a lot of violence so its definitely not for the young or faint of heart. As always, I don't own Naruto or any of its characters and make zero money off writing this story.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare-Chapter 23

Kakashi took in the scene before him: tables full of sharpened medical instruments and beakers full of assorted liquids were arranged in the center of the room. Two girls dressed in nurses outfits that seemed better suited to bedroom role play were staring at him blankly, their lack of surprise proving that they were more of Iyashii's walking dead. A dark haired man in a lab coat hovered over some cots at the far end of the room but it was what was on the cots that really had Kakashi's attention.

Four women lay motionless, all with IVs piercing their arms, but rather than a clear solution, something far more sinister was being pumped into their veins. The liquid was a soft shimmering green, no doubt liquid chakra somehow condensed down and mixed with other chemicals. This must be the treatment that drained out the free will of a woman and replaced her soul with the program to obey every command of her master.

There was a girl he didn't recognize, but he could clearly pick out Tsurenai, Miyabi and Sakura. Seeing her like that, helpless when she was normally so strong and capable, only threw wood on the fire of his already burning rage.

He stormed into the room with only one thought. He had to get that needle out of Sakura's arm and get her out of here. He only hoped he wasn't too late and that Sakura's personality remained intact when she opened her eyes...if she opened her eyes.

The man in the lab coat turned as he finished his inspection, only to come face to face with the furious shinobi. His eyes bulged behind the magnifying lenses of his glasses as he gasped in surprise. His shock quickly turned to terror when his eyes looked past Kakashi to see the bloody remains of his master just beyond the door.

"Who are you?" the doctor whimpered, voice growing high and thin with panic. He had nowhere to run with the silver haired man standing between him and the door and his eyes darted around nervously as he searched for a way out.

"I'm the guy you don't want to piss off," Kakashi seethed, advancing slowly on the frightened man. "And since you've gotten my partner involved in your filthy operation, I'm feeling pretty pissed off."

His prey made a pitiful attempt to grab at scalpel on a nearby tray, but Kakashi easily grabbed his wrist painfully tight.

"Girls! Help me!" he wailed, squirming futilely in the shinobi's grasp.

In response to his cries, dull eyes turned from their tasks to fix on the intruder. One picked up a pair of medical scissors and the other an especially large scalpel. Both woman moved toward him quickly with brandished weapons, but their faces conveyed no more emotion than when he had first entered the room.

Kakashi's grip changed from the doctor's wrist to his throat as he slammed him up against the wall with one hand. The first girl that came at him, a pretty blonde, received a kick to the stomach that had her small form reeling backward. She hit her head on the corner of the center island holding various beakers of mysterious liquids and did not get back up. The second he was able to stun with a half powered punch to her flawless face, making her drop her scissors as she instinctively clutched her bleeding nose as she turned away from him. A strike to the back of her neck had the brunette dropping to the floor like a stone, as motionless as the first girl.

Kakashi turned his attention back to his captive and stopped his struggles by tightening his grip on his throat. The shinobi was barely containing his rage, resisting tearing this man's heart right out of his chest only because the deranged doctor still had information to give. As soon as Kakashi found out what he needed to know, the man was as good as dead.

He drew the kunai from his pouch that had so recently killed the master of the estate, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he pressed the blade to the doctor's throat. The man began to wheeze and whimper, eyes wide behind glass lenses as he stuttered out pleas for his life to be spared.

Ignoring his pathetic sniveling, Kakashi spoke, voice cold and hard but trembling every so slightly with the anger that was threatening to boil over. "You are going to get those IVs out of those girls right now and begin the treatment that reverses whatever sick thing you're doing to them."

The doctor's eyes darted toward the cots where the unconscious women lay. "B-but...there is n-no treatment. The process is p-permanent."

The whimpering man suddenly doubled over as Kakashi punched him hard in the gut. He gasped and chocked as he tried to recover from having the wind so violently knocked out of him, but Kakashi soon had him by the throat again and slammed him back up against the wall.

"Don't fuck with me!" the shinobi hissed venomously, his mismatched eyes burning with furious flames. "I'll spill your guts all over the floor right fucking now if you don't come up with an antidote for your twisted little treatment."

Until now, the doctor had been avoiding looking directly into Kakashi's gaze, no doubt frightened by his strange red and black eye. But now he looked his captor straight in the face, voice high and thin and desperate as he cried out hysterically. "The chakra infusion into the bloodstream is non-reversible! Once the process is complete and the program implanted, the old information-the personality-is erased! There's no way to get it back!"

It felt like a cold stone had dropped into Kakashi's gut. Erased? Then he was too late. Sakura's personality had been wiped away like unwanted scribbles on a chalkboard. In its place, an unfeeling, non thinking imposter resided, having Sakura's visage, but nothing more. The woman he loved was as good as dead.

Torn by emotions of heart wrenching grief and black anger, Kakashi didn't say another word as he slit the doctor's throat. He did it slowly, showing no mercy as the man's terrified scream turned to thick gurgling sounds as hot blood flowed from the wound, splattering Kakashi's clothes and the stone floor.

Tears pricked Kakashi's eyes, threatening to fall and mingle with crimson liquid, but the sudden presence of a strong and familiar chakra told him grieving would have to wait. He spun around, using the doctor's body as a shield the second he heard the high pitched sound of shuriken cutting through the air. Twin thumps told Kakashi that both weapons had lodged themselves in the doctor's back, who was by now already dead.

"Kakashi Hatake," a smooth voice chuckled as the lifeless body was dropped to the floor. "I would inquire as to why the man of a thousand jutsu has come to slaughter my current employer, but I think I already know the answer."

Standing before Kakashi with an arrogant smile was the man with yellow eyes, the one they had spent the better part of their mission trying to track down. He didn't seem at all affected by the carnage around him, and showed no fear at being confronted by the notoriously powerful Copy Ninja.

"Your employer and his quack doctor got what they deserved," Kakashi growled, voice low and dangerous like a wild animal. "And you'll be next."

His opponent's smirk stayed in place, amused by Kakashi's confidence.

"You know, I can't go easy on you after you killed my employer. This was the best job I've ever had and now I'm afraid I'll have to find a new one. I can't forgive you for that."

His voice was pleasant, gentlemanly, even as he spoke threatening words. Kakashi tensed in anger, knowing that he would have been disgusted enough to refuse a mission like this, let alone take it voluntarily. And yet this man seemed to find nothing wrong in killing young women off while preserving their bodies to become sex toys for the corrupt upper class.

"Iyashii must have paid you pretty well to make all your trouble worthwhile," Kakashi spat, his eyes following the other man's every move as Kudou casually walked over to the table full of instruments. His finger absently ran over the rim of an empty glass beaker before drawing a clean kunai from his hip pouch as Kakashi did the same. The Copy nin positioned himself nearer to the girls, keeping the room's central island between himself and his opponent. With Iyashii dead, there was no incentive for Kudou to keep the girls alive. Kakashi didn't want to give him the chance to injure one of them in an attempt to get him to leave himself open to attack. He knew fighting in such a confined space would be difficult, especially with four women on one end that he couldn't risk harming. He would have liked to lead his opponent into the more open area of the mansion's interior above them, but that would mean risking a fight in the narrow spiraling staircase, which would be even more dangerous.

"The pay was fantastic," Kudou admitted with a smile. "But it wasn't just about the money. I was paid to watch strippers every night, paid to receive lap dances, paid to fuck them."

Kakashi tensed ever so slightly, pausing for just the briefest of moments as his opponent's comment cut him deep. This man had been inside Sakura in a way that the Copy ninja had wanted just for himself, only he had forced her. Had raped her! And with some strange drug, had made her enjoy it. That alone was enough reason to hunt this man down to the ends of the earth and make sure his death was slow and painful.

Though his wince was slight, Kudou saw it, his unmemorable features twisting into a cruel smirk. "That's right. I sample all the goods before I bring them here, even your precious partner. Her pussy was still good and tight, unlike some of the others girls that are all stretched out in their line of work, and yet she still begged for my cock like a slut. I wouldn't mind having her again, and this time I'll make her suck my-"

The jeering words were too much for Kakashi. Red seeped over his vision as he remembered hearing Sakura moan for this man, remembered hearing the wet slap of flesh as her enemy pounded into her at breakneck speed. With a cry of anger he threw his kunai, aiming for his opponent's head, but his anger made him impulsive and reckless and his weapon missed its mark. That hardly seemed to matter however when Kakashi vaulted the table, nimble feet avoiding Bunsen burners and chemical cocktails as he rushed his enemy. Kudou sprang away, laughing darkly at having evoked such a response in the stoic ninja.

"What's the matter, Hatake?" he taunted, dodging a punch from the Konoha shinobi before spinning to block a kunai with one of his own. "You couldn't honestly expect to keep her all to yourself when it was her job to seek me out and fuck me."

The steel of their blades ground against each other, as each man tried to overpower the other. Kakashi was absolutely enraged by his opponent's remarks and was further angered by the fact that the yellow eyed man seemed to enjoy infuriating him and rubbing his conquest of Sakura in his face. He seemed to be toying with him, playing a game. Judging from the smile on his face, Kakashi guessed Kudou wasn't even fighting him seriously.

They broke apart with a metallic clang of kunai. They were just far enough apart as to be out of range, standing on opposite sides of the small room. Kakashi tried to reign in his anger, knowing his blind range could cause him to make a fatal mistake. His opponent was grinning, and hardly seemed to have broken a sweat. If this was only a fraction of his power, then Kakashi had to finish this before he had the chance to draw on his full potential. He didn't know what this guy was capable of, and in close quarters with Sakura's unconscious body at stake, he really didn't want to find out.

Gripping his right wrist with his left hand, Kakashi began to focus all the chakra in his body to his palm, creating a bright blue ball of energy. It sang like the sound of a thousand birds as it crackled and sparked.

"I'll fucking kill you for touching her," the Copy nin hissed before rushing at his opponent full speed, intent on driving his newly made ball of lighting right through his enemy's chest.

"Oh?" Kudou smirked, making several rapid hand signs before clapping his hands together. When he pulled his hands apart from each other, a blue beam of energy formed between them. The wider he pulled his hands apart, the longer the beam got. Finally, it broke free of his palms and he grasped it with both hands before ducking out of the way of Kakashi's chidori. The Copy nin couldn't stop in time and his attack connected with the wall in front of him, blasting a huge hole in the stone as Kudou leapt around behind him and let his newly formed staff land a strike across his opponents back. Kakashi cried out as he felt white hot pain lance across his shoulder, the smell of burning cloth and flesh filling the air. It appeared Kudou was a lightning elemental user just like him, and had fashioned a staff out of his chakra that could burn through anything it touched.

Kakashi dropped into a roll, narrowly avoiding the next strike. His movements carried him close to the cots and medical equipment where the girls lay. Kudou pursued, light on his feet and dangerously fast. His staff gave him a reach of over six feet, and in the confined space, it left Kakashi with few places to hide.

The enemy shinobi swung the staff again, narrowly missing decapitating Kakashi as he ducked. The swing connected with the medical equipment, sending electrical sparks into the air as the machine shorted out, His staff also grazed the IV bag connected to Sakura, the green liquid gushing from the melted hole and spilling to the floor. If Kakashi wasn't careful, the next attack that missed him could very well hit Sakura or one of the other women. He had to keep his opponent away from them, but Kudou was blocking the only exit from the room to the stairway. For now he would have to try and keep the fight isolated to the room's opposite side.

Kudou saw Kakashi roll away and back up from Sakura's location. "Are you trying to protect your little fuck buddy?" he sneered, allowing himself to be drawn away from the girls as well as he pursued his opponent. "Now that you've killed the boss, I could kill them all now and it wouldn't matter." he chuckled. "But I want to keep them around just in case I get the chance to ride pinky again. She's a little wildcat in bed...but I'm sure you already know that."

Kakashi growled, his anger once again threatening to get the best of him. He rushed his opponent in the small space, faking like he was going to go right but then ducking left to land a solid punch to Kudou's chest. The enemy stumbled backwards but recovered quickly, lashing out with his staff and grazing Kakashi's arm.

More pain laced through the Copy Nin's body as a hole was burnt in the sleeve of his shirt and the flesh beneath was seared, leaving a nasty second degree burn.

Kakashi vaulted the center island and ducked just before Kudou spun the staff to build up momentum and brought it in a sweeping arc across the table. If Kakashi had been standing, he would have been neatly cut in two. Glass and chemicals went flying as beakers were shattered, their contents covering the floor in a dangerous mixture of colors. One clear liquid met one that was slightly green, forming a chemical reaction that began to bubble and fizz as the newly formed acid began to eat a hole through the floor.

Their fighting arena had just gotten a lot more dangerous, and Kakashi had to be careful not to slip on the wet floor, or get covered in the potentially toxic chemicals.

Kudou cautiously walked around to the other side of the island, expecting to find his opponent crouched and waiting for him. But he was nowhere to be seen.

The soft squelch of sandals taking a step through liquid was the only warning he got. The yellow eyed man ducked instinctively, narrowly missing the chakra enhanced punch that would have crushed his skull. Still following through with his punch, Kakashi couldn't react fast enough as Kudou struck with a kick to his thigh, sending him stumbling to the floor.

Kakashi found himself backed into a corner, his enemy looking down at him smugly.

"Pity," Kudou said with a shake of his head. "I would have though a legend like yourself would have presented more of a challenge."

He raised his staff, preparing to bring it down in a fatal strike through the heart, but Kakashi rolled to the side at the last second and the staff struck the chemical covered floor instead. Flames immediately leapt to life as the lightning staff ignited the flammable chemicals, the center island catching fire as well.

Kudou staggered back in surprise and Kakashi took the opportunity to spring to his feet, grabbing one of the few intact beakers off the table before it was completely consumed with flames. The Copy Nin lunged forward, tossing the contents of the beaker into his opponents face.

Kudou screamed, dropping his staff as he clawed at his eyes, the chemicals burning and blinding him. Knowing he would never have a better chance than this, Kakashi charged a second Chidori and this time it connected, burning cleanly through Kudou's chest until his crackling fist came out the other side of his body. His heart was gone, vaporized by the attack and Kudou sunk to his knees before collapsing face first into the floor, dead.

But Kakashi didn't have time to celebrate his victory. The fire was spreading, and not only were the remaining beakers in danger of igniting, but several larger containers near Sakura's side of the room held far greater amounts of chemicals. Once the fire reached those containers, there would be one hell of an explosion.

The fire was already too big for Kakashi to contain, engulfing the center island and both the floor and wall on the far side of the room. Using the Chidori twice in such a short period of time had drained enough of his chakra that using his Mangekyo was not an option. Kakashi cursed his bad luck. It wasn't often that he needed to transport a chemical fire to another dimension, but now was definitely one of those times.

He rushed to Sakura, knowing he didn't have a lot of time to get her and her friends out of the building. Once those chemicals blew, it could very well rock the foundation of this mansion and Kakashi didn't want to wait around to see if the building would collapse or not.

He hated how frail and helpless Sakura looked. He didn't know if removing the IV when she was halfway through the procedure would have negative effects or not, but if there was no way to reverse the process once it had been completed, then his best bet was to stop it while he could. For all he knew, it was already too late and none of these girls would ever wake up.

One by one he pulled the IV needle from their veins, working as fast as he could. The fire was growing and the room was filling with acrid smoke, Already, his lungs and eyes were starting to burn. He slung Sakura over on shoulder and Miyabi over the other. He had just picked up the petite woman whose name he didn't know when a beaker on the counter exploded, sending glass shards and chemicals flying. Several drops landed on the skin of Tsunenai's arm, immediately bubbling into nasty looking burns. Another beaker popped like a balloon and Kakashi felt a sting in his arm as a piece of flying glass embedded itself in his skin.

The fire raged hotter and picked up speed, fueled by the new chemicals. The fire was mere feet away from him and Kakashi knew he'd be slowed down by the three women he was carrying. The imminent explosion would happen in minutes, and Kakashi didn't know if he'd make it out of the mansion in time if he was carrying a fourth.

He looked at the purple haired woman, still beautiful in unconsciousness. Duty told him he should save her, but he wasn't willing to risk the lives of the other three for her. She had been cruel, manipulative, and had sold out her fellow dancers. Yet here she was, sharing their fate. He hesitated a moment, torn as to what to do, but then another beaker exploded and Kakashi knew he would be lucky to make it out with three girls, and that they'd all be doomed if he attempted to take her too.

As much as he hated himself for it, Kakashi turned and sprinted from the room, climbing the steps as fast as he could with a girl over each shoulder and one in his arms. He was slowed down considerably, but pushed himself hard. He had to get out of here. He had to do it for the girls he carried. For Sakura, he had to do it for her. And he tried not to think about the fact that even if he did get out in time, she still might never wake up.

He was still in the stairway when the explosion hit, a loud blast that no doubt separated the corpse of the doctor, Kudou, Tsurenai and the two nurses he had disabled into a thousand little pieces and scattered them about the room. The stairs rocked beneath his feet and Kakashi almost lost his balance as heat and fire rushed along the narrow passageway, funneled upwards towards the silver haired man. Kakashi forced his legs to pump harder as the building began to shudder, the fiery explosion gaining behind him.

He reached the top of the steps, emerging into the office and leaping to the side just as the explosive energy spewed out of the passageway, igniting furniture and drapes and carpet. He managed to avoid getting the women he carried or his own body burned, but now the fire was growing around them again, building rapidly with the posh furnishings it could use for fuel.

Kakashi thanked the gods that he was on the first floor. He raced down the hall and into the foyer, all of its grandeur set to come crashing down in moments. He raced by vacant eyed maids, oblivious to the danger they were in. Kakashi gritted his teeth. There were so many girls he wished to save. But there was no hope for them. Even if they got out of the building, the fact remained that they were already dead.

He kicked down the front door, not having the time or extra hand to try unlocking it, and bolted from the mansion. The sun had long since gone down and he hoped the darkness would aid him in making his escape. He ran across the open lawns, but when he got to the wall of hedges, he had to make several trips over, carrying the girls one at a time. He ran past rose gardens and fountains and Dajaku's remains. Kakashi grimaced at the sight. He had smelt the presence of dogs around but he hadn't thought they'd be so vicious. He supposed Dajaku was lucky in the end. His demise by dogs hadn't been nearly as bad as what the Copy nin had planned to do to him.

He could already smell the smoke in the air and looked back to see a soft orange glow tainting the sky. Even if the building didn't collapse, it would be gutted by the flames. The explosion had destroyed all evidence of his fight with Kudou as well as the bodies of Iyashii and Midari and all the equipment used in transforming the women brought there.

There would be no evidence that he was ever there, which was good. The destruction of Iyashii's mansion would not be pinned on Konoha and potentially start unnecessary conflict. There would also be no proof that Houseki's popular leader was involved with something so sick and deranged as the brainwashing and enslaving of young women. He would be remembered as the attractive and charismatic man he made himself appear to be with the help of a henge, not as the fat, disgusting letch he really was. Although Kakashi would have taken great pleasure in tarnishing the politician's name even after his death, it was better this way. His death and burnt down mansion would probably be seen as an accident. Things would be quieter this way and the morale of the locals wouldn't suffer as much.

Kakashi leapt the last wall with Sakura, and then went back over to carry Miyabi and then the girl whose name he did not know. He was outside of Iyashii's estate but still he continued to run in case the authorities that came to put out the fire might search the area. He was halfway down the hill when he spotted a cluster of several large trees with foliage thick enough to hide Kakashi from view if he stood in the center .

He entered the cool thicket, but the temperature had nothing to do with the coldness in the pit of his stomach. The wound on his back throbbed painfully as he lowered the women he carried to the ground, making sure to treat them with care. He sat down next to Sakura's unconscious form. She looked so beautiful, so serene, and he was terrified that this was the only expression she'd ever make again.

If she never woke up she would never laugh, never cry, never roll her eyes with exasperation or narrow them in anger. He'd never hear her sweet voice speak in soft tones of shout with rage or cry out in ecstasy when he finally brought her release. He would never feel her lips press to his in a timid kiss that all too soon became a passionate tangle on tongues. He would never get to tell her how he really felt, even if he knew it wouldn't be something she wanted to hear.

Not for the first time since this mission started, Kakashi felt completely and utterly helpless. He cursed himself for having a thousand jutsu, and not one of them useful enough to awaken his sleeping partner. Even if he had undergone basic medical training, he would be no better off. Hell, he wasn't even sure if this was something Tsunade could fix. And even if she woke up, the true Sakura might already be dead.

Tears pricked Kakashi's eyes as he gathered the pink haired woman into his arms. He held her close, willing with every ounce of his being that she come back to him, that she awaken and give him that beautiful smile just one more time.

The Copy nin was a brave man and seldom showed emotion, but he could no longer hold back. Tears cut wet tracks down his cheeks and soaked into his mask as his body was racked by grief stricken sobs. He buried his face in Sakura's hair, remembering happier times when he had held her the same way, when he had made love to her, when he had comforted her.

His sorrow drained him and now that the adrenaline was gone, he realized how exhausted he was from his fight with Kudou. The burn across his back throbbed painfully, but going to a hospital in town would arouse suspicion and he couldn't leave the women alone. He needed to rest before attempting a return trip to Fuzen Machi, but in his current state, he wasn't sure how he was going to make it back. He wouldn't be able to drag all three unconscious women onto a train, but traveling with them would make things painfully slow.

With no other choice, he laid down on the floor of leaves and grass, refusing to let Sakura go. He still sobbed softly as he let sleep overtake him.

It was the first time in over a decade Kakashi had cried himself to sleep.

XXXXX

Despite all of Yamato's training and experience, even he was having a hard time keeping up with Naruto as they bounded through the trees. Sai and Sasuke hadn't uttered a word of complaint about the breakneck speed they had maintained for the last four hours, and the leader wasn't sure if it was because they were too proud to admit they were exhausted or if they were just as eager to find Sakura as their blond teammate was. Either way Yamato knew they would have to make camp soon whether Naruto liked it or not. It was dark and the moon shining through the partially cloudy sky was not enough light to adequately illuminate their way.

They had begun their journey after talking with the dancers back at the club and searching Dajaku's room. They were appalled to find sheets of silk on his lavish four post bed. While the room was small, he seemed to have done his best to cram as much overpriced furniture into it as possible. His clothes were all made of fine materials like silk and cashmere, and Yamato had felt a quiet rage as he observed the rags that the performers had been forced to wear while the club owner had more than enough money to provide for them better, but chose to keep his funds to himself.

While going through a chest of drawers, they had come across several letters received from Northern Rock Country outlining a plan for taking girls and making them perfectly obedient sex slaves. Those letters contained all the clues needed to make preparations for their journey. The town Houseki was mentioned more than once and Yamato was fairly certain that was where Sakura had been taken and where Kakashi had followed. With any luck, the four man cell would show up in time to offer assistance to their friends.

Since four Konoha shinobi on a train was bound to draw attention, they decided to travel there on foot. Although it would take longer, it was less likely there would be trouble if their identities were discovered and they were questioned as to where they were going.

If they stopped and rested a few hours, they would be recharged enough to push on and reach their destination by morning. Yamato just hoped that Kakashi had already found Sakura and all their rushing would turn out to be in vain.

XXXXX

Kakashi awoke feeling stiff and sore. The wounds on his back and arm ached with every breath, but it was nothing compared to the ache he was feeling in his chest. His arms were still wrapped around Sakura's motionless body, her condition seeming to have remained unchanged throughout the night.

Rays of pale morning light filtered through the trees, painting the leaf strewn ground with dappled shadows. The other girls lay just where he had left them, comatose as well, and with a heavy heart, Kakashi pulled Sakura's form into his lap, gloved hands pushing the hair away from her tranquil face.

He could feel her heart beating steadily, could feel her chest expand with every breath. Never had the Copy nin felt so frustrated. She was alive, unlike so many friends whom he'd seen pierced through the heart or crushed or blown to pieces. Yet he didn't know if this was better or worse. There was no finality, just the aching, gnawing unknown. Would she wake up or would she be a sleeping doll forever.

"Sakura," he whispered, tears once again beginning to form as he lowered his head to kiss soft pink lips. "Please, Sakura. Come back to me."

He held her tightly, crushing her against him as if he could wake her up by sheer desperation.

"Ow, Kakashi. You're squishing me."

The silver haired man closed his eyes. Now he was officially delusional. He could hear her voice. It was soft and weak, but it was definitely Sakura. His mind was playing cruel tricks on him.

"Kakashi," the voice said again, and this time, his name was accompanied by a small shove against his chest.

His eyes snapped open and he looked down to find two beautiful green eyes blinking at him.

"Sakura?" he whispered, afraid to believe what he was seeing. He wouldn't be able to take this if it was an illusion or a trick.

"It looks like I'm not a doll after all," she smiled. "I'm assuming I have you to thank?"

It was no trick. By some miracle, Sakura had awoken and Kakashi couldn't refrain from wrapping his arms even tighter around her in a crushing hug.

However, the action seemed to cause Sakura to panic. She gasped and suddenly pushed him away, scrambling out of his lap and onto the grass. Although she was still weak, she struggled to assume a fighting stance, but when she realized it was Kakashi facing her with a look of confusion, she deflated, dropping her hands from their defensive position.

"I'm sorry," she said sheepishly. "I just...after what that yellow eyed bastard did to me, being touched is..."

She trailed off, eyes cast downward as she wrapped her arms around herself as if warding off a chill, but they both knew it had nothing to do with the cool morning air.

"I know what he did to you," Kakashi said softly, wanting to take her into his arms and comfort her, but unsure if that was the right thing to do. "I know he drugged you and controlled you. I'm sorry about everything I said. I had no right to judge you like that without knowing what had really gone on in that room."

Sakura said nothing, still looking at the ground.

"You don't have to worry about him anymore," Kakashi continued. "He's dead. They all are."

Sakura raised her head slowly. "All of them?"

"All of them," Kakashi confirmed. "Iyashii, Kudou, Midari and Dajaku. You and the girls don't have to worry about them anymore."

The kunoichi nodded silently, taking in the news before sitting down, still too exhausted to stand for long. To Kakashi's surprise, a smile spread over her lips.

"You didn't even leave one of them alive for me?"

The Copy nin chuckled. He knew Sakura had never been fond of bloodshed, but he could understand why she would want the pleasure of killing these men herself. It wasn't just revenge for herself, but for her friends and every other woman who had suffered at their hands.

"Sorry," he said softly. "You were a little incapacitated at the time, but none of their deaths were pleasant if that makes you feel any better."

Sakura nodded again. She didn't need further details. She had seen what Kakashi was capable of. She had no doubt that whatever he had done to the group of treacherous men was the stuff nightmares were made of. He was a notorious assassin, a deadly killer, and right now, despite his dirty and bedraggled appearance, he was the most beautiful thing in the world.

She pried her eyes away before he noticed she was staring and surveyed the area around her. They were surrounded by trees, but it didn't seem like a forest.

"Where are we?" she asked. She could smell smoke in the air, the acrid kind that came from the burning of synthetic materials, not the woodsy scent of burning trees.

"We're near the base of the hill where Iyashii's mansion was. We've been here since last night"

Where his mansion was? She supposed that explained the smoke.

"But we're still so close. Don't you think it would be better for us to get further away?" she asked.

"I couldn't make it very far carrying all three of you," Kakashi replied, gesturing to a spot over her shoulder.

She turned to find two unconscious women that had been behind her. One she recognized. One she didn't.

"Miyabi!" she gasped, the medic in her kicking in as she immediately stood and raced to the slender girl's side. The kunoichi looked over her friend's unconscious features, worry creasing her brow. She reached out to touch her but hesitated, turning back to Kakashi.

"You said you were carrying three of us," she said softly. "Where's Tsurenai?"

The Copy nin shook his head sadly.

"The place was on fire, and I barely made it out with the three of you. If I had tried to carry her too, none of us would have made it."

Sakura was silent a moment and then nodded in acceptance. She supposed it could be considered karma that the diva would fall victim to the very same fate she had sentenced other girls to. It was unfortunate she had to die, but Sakura couldn't help but wonder that if the purple haired woman were still alive, if she would be able to keep from strangling the traitor on the spot. Perhaps it was for the best that she burned along with the mansion.

Shaking her head to clear such thoughts, she turned back to the woman that currently needed her help. Kakashi smiled as Sakura was suddenly in her element, asking him dozens of questions pertaining to their conditions and answering them as best he could.

How long had the girls been off the drug? Had they shown any signs of life since being rescued? Had he managed to learn what was in the drug they were being administered? Did Midari say anything about a remedy?

Kakashi winced at the last question, but although he told her the doctor had claimed effects were irreversible, Sakura refused to accept that answer.

"I woke up after being on the drug several hours. Perhaps if the process is incomplete, there's a chance for recovery."

Kakashi watched as she immediately began pushing her chakra into her friend's body, assessing the damage that had been done. He didn't want to point out that Sakura had only been treated for a few hours. Miyabi could have been under Midari's care for nearly a week. There was a good chance that there wasn't enough of her personality to salvage, that her brain had been nearly wiped clean and restoring her was impossible. He knew that even if he did say what he was thinking, Sakura wouldn't give up. She would try to heal her friend until she was on the verge of death herself due to chakra exhaustion.

The medic frowned thoughtfully after finishing her examination. She moved over to where the unfamiliar girl lay and repeated the process.

"Her damage isn't nearly as extensive," Sakura announced. "If I can heal her first, maybe she can tell me something that will help with Miyabi."

She set to work, disregarding the fact that until moments ago, she had been unconscious as well and was still weak thanks to the drug.

The work would be painstaking. She had to detoxify the cells of her brain, repairing the damage that had been done. She could only work on a handful of cells at a time, ensuring that the process would take hours. Sakura found that large areas hadn't been affected at all, and she could guess they were parts of the brain that handled speech and coordination. These areas would need to stay intact. It was the areas controlling judgment, critical thinking and personality that were the most affected.

Kakashi knew there was little more he could do to help. He jumped up into the trees, perching on a high branch and blending into the leaves. He could see both Sakura below him and the surrounding area in all directions. He could see smoke still rising from the mansion, although now it was only a slow smolder. It must have burned through the night. By now local authorities would be at the scene, but if they got near Kakashi's position while conducting their investigation, the shinobi would see them coming.

Hours passed and they had no trouble. Sakura continued to heal the unknown girl and her partner acted as lookout. Nobody came near the trees. Groups of villagers from the town walked by, hoping to get a peek at what all the commotion was about, but all ignored the cluster of trees and their temporary residents...all except an oddly familiar group of four people, making their way swiftly around the side of the hill.

A smile formed beneath Kakashi's mask. It appeared Tsunade hadn't been satisfied with their performance on the mission and had sent backup...and though the group she sent consisted of a demon-possessed impulsive loudmouth, an arrogant and brooding man with a superiority complex, a socially impaired, emotionally void artist, and a failed scientific experiment who more often than not served as a babysitter on these types of missions, Kakashi had never been more thrilled to see them.

XXXXX

The four man squad found their friends looking a little worse for wear, but alive. Sakura greeted them with a grateful smile, confessing she was so happy to see them, but because she was in the process of healing, she couldn't get up and give them the warm embraces she thought they deserved. Naruto didn't seem to mind, coming up behind her and giving her a crushing hug anyway. Ordinarily, Sakura would have been aggravated by such behavior, but she was so happy to see her blond haired friend that she welcomed his affection even though she was trying to concentrate on healing.

Kakashi filled them in on everything that had happened as Sakura continued to work on mending the poisoned brain cells within the mystery girl. Naruto showed his outrage at what had been done to Sakura and her friends, threatening to beat the hell out of the offenders until Kakashi tactfully told him that those involved were already dead. His teammates were equally disturbed by the story, but weren't quite so vocal about it.

Another two hours went by and Sakura continued to work on her patient with unwavering determination while the newly arrived shinobi took turns keeping watch from the tree tops while another scouted the area and kept the rest posted on what was happening at the mansion. Kakashi didn't leave Sakura's side, sitting and watching her work from a short distance.

Yamato returned from his scouting what remained of Iyashii's estate. Apparently, authorities weren't even bothering to search the area, already calling the fire a freak accident. They didn't have to worry about anybody coming to look for them.

"We should still get back to Fuzen Machi as soon as possible," Kakashi replied. "These girls need better care than what we can give them here."

It was true that if anybody could heal Miyabi and her friend, Sakura could. However, she would be better equipped to do it in a place with actual beds and medical equipment. With the additional men on their team, they could make it back to the club easily now that Kakashi wouldn't have to carry three people on his own.

"Sakura," Kakashi said gently. "We should go. You can resume healing her when we make camp in several hours."

Sakura didn't even look at him, continuing to push her chakra into the unconscious girl's body. "Several hours might be too late," she said stubbornly. "I've almost finished restoring her brain and then I have to flush out the rest of her body so..."

Her sentence remained unfinished as she collapsed forward. The hours of exerting herself while she had only just recovered was taking its toll. She had almost used up her chakra supply and it left her weak and shaky.

Naruto dropped from the trees where he had been watching the surrounding area to see his friend slumped over. He called her name worriedly and was set to charge to her side but Yamato placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him silently as Kakashi beat the whiskered man to it. The masked man placed a hand on her back as he asked if she was all right, his voice laced with concern.

"I'm fine," she said, trying to shrug him off. "I just need to finish the procedure and-"

"You aren't finishing anything," the silver haired shinobi said sternly. "You've worked too hard as it is. You need to rest." He turned to the four people who had been watching their exchange with concern. "Yamato, Naruto, you'll be carrying the girls. Sasuke, you've got point and Sai will watch our backs. We need to move as fast as we can. I want to be back in Fuzen Machi by nightfall."

His team nodded and Naruto walked over to pick up the girl Sakura had been healing and gently hoisted her over his shoulder as Yamato did the same with Miyabi. The medic tried to get to her feet and insist on continuing her healing procedure, but her knees buckled. Kakashi caught her easily. "Sakura," he chastised sternly. "You're too weak to even stand. There's no way in hell I'm letting you use any more chakra until you've rested."

He turned to his team and ordered them to make preparations for their departure. Sakura went to protest again but he hushed her with his fingers to her lips. "I almost lost you once," he said softly. "I'll be damned if I let you slip away again."

Her expression softened as he brushed tangled pink strands away from her face. All the other members of their team had their backs turned, talking about the most direct route to take back home. It was only by chance that Sasuke happened to glance over his shoulder and catch Kakashi's tender gesture. His eyes immediately narrowed as he evaluated what he saw. Anybody who knew the Copy nin at all would see that such an action was quite out of character, especially towards Sakura. It didn't take a genius to see something had changed between them. He turned around before they could catch him looking, focusing on Yamato's directions since he would be leading the team.

Even though she didn't like it, Kakashi carried Sakura piggyback style, stating that if she was too weak to stand, she certainly wouldn't be able to maintain the grueling speed they would be setting. She grumbled her protests, her pride objecting to having to be carried, but knowing there was no winning out against Kakashi. He could be just as stubborn as herself when he wanted to be. And in all honesty, she rather liked the feel of his strong hands gripping her thighs to support her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, breathing in his scent. It now carried strong hints of smoke and blood, but his underlying smell remained and she found that it calmed her, gave her sense of security in a way she couldn't really explain.

They set out immediately, moving quickly and silently with Sasuke taking the lead, the three men and their female cargo in the middle and Sai bringing up the rear. The town of Houseki was quickly left behind as they traveled along the outskirts to avoid being seen and then moved into the open country. There was a high chance they would run into bandits and perhaps even some rogue shinobi, but they were hardly a threat considering the elite group of Konoha ninja all traveling together.

Kakashi winced every now and then at the pressure of Sakura's body against the tender burn on his back, but fought through it. There was no time to worry about the wound now. His biggest concern was getting Sakura back to the club where she could rest properly, although knowing her, the second they arrived she'd get back to healing.

The weight and warmth of her against him was comforting, and he thanked the gods above that she was still alive after all that had happened. But now that she had awoken, it presented him with a dilemma. He was very much in love with her, more than he had been with anybody in his whole life. Their mission was rapidly drawing to a close and soon they would return to Konoha and their normal lives. Hana would be gone and so would the nights of dancing as a creature of beauty and lust. She wouldn't need him anymore, wouldn't need him to teach her about sex and all of its pleasures, wouldn't need the comfort of his body or soft encouraging words spoken breathlessly as he made her forget all that she hated. Their partnership was over, and while she had stolen his heart during the months they were together, he had no idea how she really felt.

She was young and beautiful, strong and talented and could do a hell of a lot better than a dirty old man who was far past his prime. Although it would kill him to do so, Kakashi was considering keeping his feelings to himself and letting her go. It was unfair to put her in such a position if he confessed his love to her. She deserved someone her own age, someone unbroken with less scars. It was becoming clear to Kakashi what he would have to do.

He would have to live with the burden of loving someone he couldn't have, but for now as they raced over the landscape, the wind rushing in his ears, he would enjoy her while he could. He'd savor the feel of her against him, the way her small form molded to his back. Her even breaths told him she had fallen asleep, taking his advice and getting much needed rest. He knew it was both selfish and unlikely, but he couldn't help but hope that it was him she was dreaming of.

XXXXX

And there you have it! Once again, I'm sorry this took so long but life was really hectic for a while. I'm guessing the next chapter will come out sometime in the summer because I'm about to get really busy again with school projects and such.

This part was really hard to write because of all the climatic events so I would really appreciate everyone's feedback. I don't usually write stories with a lot of suspense.


	24. Chapter 25

Here it is, another chapter. I am so sorry it took so long! Between lack of inspiration and the fact that I'd rather be out doing fun, summery things, this chapter once again took longer than anticipated. I hope the wait was worth it. Please enjoy!

I don't own Naruto and any of its characters.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare- Chapter 24

Sakura's brow creased as she concentrated on painstakingly removing the toxins bit by bit from Miyabi's damaged brain tissue. She wasn't sure how long she had been at it. The procedure required that she immerse herself completely in the task as she hunched over the bed back at Wet Dreams.

Their return from Houseki had been swift and uneventful...or at least that's what she had been told. She had slept most of the way, draped over Kakashi's back as she recovered her strength. She had awoken only a couple of hours before their arrival, and had insisted that she immediately resume healing the mysterious girl as soon as they arrived at the club.

Cold and dreary skies welcomed them when they finally arrived the club. She was greeted tearfully by the remaining girls, their pretty faces flooded with relief as they all tried to hug her at once.

The moment Jitsu spied the girl hanging limply in Naruto's arms, she immediately rushed toward him to take her hand, sobbing so hard that her words couldn't be made out by any one.

Tora had explained that the girl they had rescued was Aiya, a girl who used to work at the club and the friend Jitsu had missed so much. She had been the last to disappear before Sakura's arrival but for whatever reason, she had managed to avoid the deranged doctor's procedure long enough to get rescued.

Their joy was short lived as Sakura wearily explained that there was no guarantee she would be able to heal Aiya or Miyabi, but she was going to try. She ordered a room to be temporarily designated to the task of reviving them, and Jitsu had insisted her room be used for the job. Naruto and Yamato marched the girls up into the room and laid them out on the beds before Sakura asked that she be left alone for the next few hours.

Hesitant to let her out of her sight, Kakashi had grudgingly agreed, but remained in the common room on the couch thumbing through his copy of Icha Icha. His uncovered eye did little more than stare blankly at the pages.

Two hours later, Sakura had finished flushing all the toxins from Aiya's system and mending damaged brain matter. The only thing left to do was to wait and see if she would wake up or not. After eating a meal at Kakashi's request, she started work on Miyabi, repeating the same process of working on only small groups of cells at a time.

More than once, Kakashi had forced her to take a break when he could feel her chakra reserves dwindling from down the hall, sometimes resorting to force to pry her away. He refused to let Sakura put herself in any more danger on this mission, not when he had only just gotten her back.

And now here she was, about halfway through treating her second patient, when Kakashi again stepped into the room. She didn't want to take a break, but didn't feel like fighting him this time. Wordlessly, she let him guide her across the hall to the familiar bunk bed she shared with Misaki. She climbed in wearily without changing her clothes, pulled the covers up to her chin, and was instantly asleep.

Kakashi pulled up a chair, having appointed himself as sentinel to make sure that she actually was sleeping and not sneaking back into the room to heal some more. He turned away Naruto, Misaki and even Sasuke who came to see her. There would be time for visiting later. Right now, Sakura just needed to rest.

He realized he could never again go on a mission with this beautiful woman. He care for her so much that it clouded his judgment. He did stupid things that were out of character for him, made decisions that could jeopardize the mission. His feelings in his heart overruled the logic in his head, and he knew a shinobi like that was a hazard on the battlefield.

He loved her, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized it wouldn't work. Assuming she did want to pursue something with him, the fact remained that he would continue to take dangerous solo missions while she worked relentlessly in the hospital. Every mission he took came with the high risk that it might be his last, and Sakura didn't deserve to worry about him like that. She often worked nights, and even if he was in the village, their conflicting schedules would ensure that they would see little of each other.

Kakashi let out an irritated sigh. He was just torturing himself by thinking about it. Their relationship would end the moment they set foot back in Konoha. It was simple as that. He would do well to start severing those bonds while they were still in Fuzen Machi so the transition wouldn't be quite so abrupt. Not reaching out to run his fingers through that soft pink hair or denying himself a kiss of those soft lips would be the hardest mission of all. It would hurt him like hell, but it would be the best thing for her, and he took a small amount of comfort in that.

XXXXX

Yamato, Naruto, Sai and Sasuke had taken up temporary residence downstairs now that the club was closed until further notice. When asked about Dajaku and Tsurenai, Yamato had simply stated that neither one would be coming back. He didn't need to explain further. Everyone could hear the grim tone in his voice that said the two of them were dead.

Misaki, like a child at story time, wanted all the gruesome details of how the big bad politician and evil kidnapping shinobi had met their ends. Yamato explained that he didn't have the details to give considering Kakashi had disposed of both of them, and right now it would be best not to disturb him while he was looking after Sakura. She had pouted, but accepted that she would have to hear the story another time.

Naruto joined her in pouting, upset that all the action had been over by the time he had arrived. Yamato couldn't help but think the two blonds were actually quite similar in many ways.

"The man got what was coming to him." Tora said sourly from her seat at one of the many tables in the room. "The bastard sold us out just so he could make even more money that what we were giving him. Hell, he already wanted over half of our tips and that still wasn't enough for him."

"It's a good thing he's already dead, or I would have done it myself," Kitsune chimed in from the seat she had taken near Sasuke and Yamato.

Jitsu nodded silently, lips pressed in a grim line. Even Misaki bobbed her head of curls in agreement. It appeared none of them could forgive the former owner for what he had done.

None of the men present could find the right words to say. None of them could imagine a life where they were forced to sell their bodies to survive, and then to be betrayed by the very man who had given them all hope. They too would not be able to forgive such a deed.

"I wonder how much money he made off all of us," Tora said bitterly, raising a glass of amber liquid to her lips. She had helped herself to what was at the bar since Dajaku would not be coming back to scold her.

"Well, he certainly didn't put it towards fixing up the place," Kistune replied, crossing her legs beneath the table and letting her toe bump against Sasuke's calf intentionally. The Uchiha discreetly readjusted himself in his chair so that his leg was beyond her reach.

"Well, now that Dajaku and Tsurenai are gone, we should get to keep all their stuff right?" Misaki said, her voice surprisingly bright despite the dark topic of their conversation. "We should clean out their rooms! Maybe we'll find things that we can sell!"

Tora nodded. It was a good idea considering they had no real means of supporting themselves at the moment since none of them really wanted to keep the club open. They could sell what they could to get by for a while.

"Let's do it now," Jitsu said quietly. "It's better than sitting around and waiting."

They all had to agree. Waiting around for the moment when Miyabi and Aiya recovered was fraying everyone's nerves. It would be good to find a task to occupy them for a while.

"We don't have anything else to do, so we'll help you," Sai said with his usual false smile in place. Sasuke normally would have made an annoyed comment about how he had just offered everyone's assistance without asking for anyone's input, but surprisingly enough, he remained silent as he rose from his seat with the others and proceeded to follow after the girls.

XXXXX

Sakura sighed wearily, resting her head on the edge of the bed where Miyabi laid fully healed but still unconscious. The medic was exhausted in a way that was more than chakra depletion. The very marrow of her bones felt weary and she was also mentally and emotionally exhausted as well.

She wished there was something else she could do, some magic cure that would bring these girls back to life, but she knew she had already done all she could, and now she just had to wait. Waiting was always the hardest part.

The mattress cushioned her forehead as she closed her eyes. She wished she could be in Kakashi's arms right now, curled up in bed so he could hold her close and whisper soothing words to her. She wanted to be near him, but ever since their return to the club, he had been aloof, distant. He sat rigidly in the chair in her room while she rested between healings rather than joining her and wrapping her in his arms. Gone were the lingering glances and soft kisses that she had enjoyed in his motel room. It only confirmed her fears that now that their mission was coming to a close, he had no need to be intimate with her. Their bond was severed, clean and easy, and it saddened her how quickly and effortlessly he had made the switch.

She knew she was a fool, for what could Kakashi see in someone like her when his books were full of curvaceous and aggressive women who made every moment in the bedroom wild and passionate. Sakura was still new to sex, inexperienced and certainly not curvaceous. It had always been Kakashi who did most of the work, touching her in the most amazing ways so that she couldn't help but cry out his name.

She had to admit, he played the part of a lover well and during their time together it had been so easy to believe that he had truly felt something for her, that perhaps he even loved her. As blissful as those moments had been, the stark contrast to reality made it hurt even more than if his touches had been simply clinical from the start.

Hot tears welled up in her eyes but she blinked them back fiercely. What happened to the man who had saved her, that had held her so closed upon her waking up like a fairy tale princess? But that was just it, wasn't it? She was no princess and this was not a fairy tail with dragons and witches and a happy ending at the last page. She was just a silly girl, not yet a woman even after all she had been through if she still held out hope that she could continue this fantasy with Kakashi indefinitely.

She should get used to his attitude towards her and perhaps change her own, no longer waiting hopefully for his kiss or savor the lingering brush of his hand. She had once warmed his bed, but now they were once again nothing more than a teacher and his former student, and she should start acting like it.

Before her mind could continue its walk down this bleak and depressing path, she heard a soft murmur come from the neighboring bed. Sakura instantly jumped to her feet and breathlessly hovered over the sandy blonde haired girl. The eyelashes that had rested so gently on her porcelain skin fluttered open to reveal twin amber orbs.

Immediately Sakura slipped into medic mode, speaking gently and clearly as she explained who she was and where they were. Aiya listened with wide eyes, taking in her surroundings as if she couldn't quite believe she was no longer in the basement of Iyashii's mansion.

"I-I'm not...I'm not one of them?" she said softly, voice wavering.

Sakura smiled and shook her head, trying not to remember the hauntingly vacant eyes of all the women who had suffered the fate both of them had so narrowly avoided. "No," the kunoichi assured. "That nightmare is over. You don't have to worry about Dajaku or Iyashii ever again."

A soft gasp at the doorway had both of their heads turning. Jitsu stood there, green eyes wide and glistening with tears.

"Aiya," she whispered softly, as if she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.

Silence stretched between the two, breathless and surreal, until the spell was suddenly broken by Jitsu rushing forward and throwing her arms around her friend. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she sobbingly confessed that she thought she would never see her again and how much she had been missed. Aiya hugged right back, the feel of the smaller dancer's arms around her proving that this was indeed reality, not a cruel dream.

Sakura watched them with a smile on her lips, her own heart swelling with joy and relief. Aiya was going to be okay. Her medicinal efforts had saved her. Jade eyes slid from the tender scene in front if her to the raven haired woman that was still motionless on the adjacent bed. She only hoped her second patient would make a similar recovery.

"Can I go into the common room?" Aiya sniffled when she finally broke away from her friend. "I want to see everyone."

Sakura nodded and told her it was fine as long as she took things slow. The medic had no idea of knowing what kind of effects the horrible treatment might have had on the young girl's body and it was wise to play it safe for a while.

Jitsu helped the sandy haired girl off the bed and offered an arm to steady herself as she walked. Aiya's eyes fell to Miyabi's unconscious form, taking in the sight of the older woman and knew that moments ago, she was just like her. Waking up was a small miracle and she instantly understood that there was no way of knowing if Miyabi would also be lucky enough to open her eyes.

Sakura watched the couple move slowly into the hall and instantly a chorus of joyful cries erupted as Aiya was surrounded by her fellow dancers. They slowly made their way down the hall and out of sight as the recently awakened girl headed for the couch in the central area. Their voices could clearly be heard and Sakura smiled at the sounds of both laughter and joyful tears. These girls were a family as close as any bound by blood, and today a member they thought to be dead had been returned to them. She looked down tiredly at her own two hands, skin pale and lightly scarred in a few places. These hands had saved Aiya. They were hands of a kunoichi, hands that could both destroy and heal.

She sensed rather than heard a presence in the doorway and looked up to find Kakashi standing there. Though she was exhausted, a smile came easily to her lips at the sight of him.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hey," he replied, entering the room quietly. Though there was another empty chair, he did not sit. A moment of silence passed between them and Sakura began to wonder if he would say anything else when he finally spoke. "You did well, Sakura. I'm proud of you."

The comment was so vague that the medic wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about? Aiya's successful healing? Her own recovering from the brink of death? This mission as a whole? Whatever he was referring to, Sakura felt it was too soon to celebrate, not when Miyabi was still lying there lifeless and silent.

As if reading her thoughts, Kakashi spoke softly. "Whatever happens, know that you saved a life. You worked a miracle, Sakura. You can't ask for more than that. You can't save them all."

Sakura had heard that saying over and over during her time as a medic and it was a phrase she had come to loathe. The ones she couldn't save always left her wondering if there was something more she could have done, if she had the ability to save their lives, but failed. If Miyabi never recovered, it would be even worse. This time it was personal. This was a woman she had laughed and cried and lived with. This was a friend. If Sakura couldn't save her, she would be haunted by it forever.

"I know," Sakura said softly. "But I've got to try."

She managed to keep her voice from wavering, but hot tears pricked at her eyes and threatened to fall. As if sensing her distress, Kakashi drew closer and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. The action conveyed what couldn't be said with words.

Why was this man so perceptive to what she was feeling now, yet so oblivious to all the emotions she had regarding him? Why couldn't he see how much she loved him? How could he not know that her heart was breaking at the very thought of no longer having a place in his arms? She wanted to demand answers from him, but refused to be more of a fool than she already was. She didn't think she could bare Kakashi telling her that all of his loving actions were just part of the act he put up for the mission. She would rather hear nothing at all than hear him tell her she meant nothing to him.

Even so, she couldn't resist reaching up and resting her hand lightly on the one on her shoulder. She could feel his warmth through the glove and she ached for more of his touch. Suddenly, not caring that he might push her away, she intertwined their fingers and gently tugged, hoping to draw him close enough that she could pull down his mask and press her lips to his. She had expected him to possibly resist her, but what she hadn't predicted was a hiss of pain.

"Kakashi?" she questioned, instantly concerned as she got to her feet, her grip tightening on his wrist as he tried to pull it away.

"It's nothing," the masked man said, but Sakura did not relinquish her hold.

"Let me see."

Grudgingly, the Copy Nin allowed the determined medic to gently push up his shirt sleeve to his shoulder and then unwound the bandage he had applied upon returning to Fuzen Machi. He winced as she let out a gasp at the ugly gash that marred his bicep, knowing he was about to get an ear full.

"Kakashi, when did this happen? Why didn't you tell me about it so I could heal it for you?" her voice was soft but held a sharpness that betrayed her anger. He knew she would be mad and if she saw his injury, and she would insist on healing it whether she had the chakra or not.

"It happened when I was fighting Kudou. When you finally regained consciousness, the first priority was to heal the rescued dancers. You were already so exhausted from healing them that I didn't want to add to your chakra depletion. Besides, I've had worse injuries than this."

Sakura immediately summoned healing energy to her hand and began probing the wound, checking for infection. "You mean to say you traveled all the way here from Houseki while carrying me with this wound?"

Kakashi shrugged and Sakura sighed.

"You really are an idiot. You're lucky this wasn't anything more serious. If you had continued to let it go without treatment, you could have ended up with a nasty infection."

Despite the edge of anger in her voice, her fingers moved over his skin tenderly. It was the closest she could get to a loving caress and she savored the moment as she flooded the wound with medicinal chakra.

"You don't have any other wounds you've been hiding from me, do you?" she asked as she healed. Her tone was soft and playful but Kakashi knew just how serious she was.

"My back," he replied simply, knowing that if he hid his injury from her and she found out about it later, she would do more than just scold him. She would probably give him a couple of new injuries before getting around to healing the old ones.

Sakura sighed irritably as she finished mending his arm. "Shirt. Off."

He obeyed, pulling his shirt over his head as she pressed down on his shoulder, guiding him to sit on the bed Aiya had so recently vacated. As she peeled the hastily applied dressing from his shoulder, her breath left her lungs in a small sound of astonished horror when she saw the burn that stretched diagonally over his back, the skin still blackened in some places and red and swollen in others.

"Kakashi," she breathed, amazed that he had carried her all the way back to Fuzen Machi with such an injury. "What the hell happened?"

"Kudou. He was a lightning element user, and a good one too."

Sakura knew a burn like this had to be extremely painful, especially when left untreated for so long. While his arm had been uninfected, his back was not so lucky. The skin was far too hot to the touch, and she could see how the wound was still oozing slightly, only now the liquid was yellowish and opaque. She wanted to throttle Kakashi for being so stupid, but her main concern was healing him and she didn't think she currently had the strength to do both.

She quietly let her hands rest upon his wound, noting how he tensed and let out a soft grunt of pain. She worked quickly, repairing the damaged tissue and cleansing the infection. Pale green chakra flooded the area, numbing the pain and soothing the skin as she worked. She felt Kakashi's muscles relax under her fingertips as the pain that had persisted since the fight finally drained away. The medic felt her own body fatigue under the stress of using so much chakra but she pressed on, not wanting Kakashi to have to endure the pain any longer, and not wanting this quiet moment and the excuse to touch him end so soon.

Minutes later, his back was healed without so much as a scar left behind. Sakura tried her hardest not to sag against him, even though she was exhausted. If he saw how tired she was, he would just chastise her for it and continue to conceal his injuries from her.

She let her thumb rub over the perfect skin that had been an infected mess only minutes ago and was suddenly gripped by the impulse to press her lips to the muscular expanse of his back. She knew it wasn't a good idea and that he probably wouldn't approve but she didn't care anymore.

She lowered her head, intending to complete the healing with a soft kiss when a bright flash of orange appeared in the doorway. Naruto stood there beaming, and Sasuke was at his side a moment later.

"Sakura-chan, you did it! You healed Aiya! She's awake now and as good as new. Isn't that great?"

The kunoichi jerked away from Kakashi, hoping they hadn't noticed what she was about to do. The moment between them was broken and Sakura reluctantly stepped away and allowed the jounin to put his shirt back on. She wasn't aware of the way Sasuke followed her lingering glance on his bare back or the narrowing of his eyes at the defeated hunch of her shoulders when he stood from the bed without a word.

"Yeah, I can't believe it," she said, offering them a tired smile. "Now if only my own team would stop hiding their injuries from me, maybe I could rest a little easier."

Kakashi chuckled sheepishly, trying to think of something that would placate her. It turned out he didn't have to when Naruto excitedly exclaimed that Aiya had agreed to tell the story of her daring escape from Iyashii's mansion and her inevitable recapture and that Sakura should be present to hear it.

"Okay, I'll be out in a minute, but please quiet down," she said, her tone growing stern as she gestured towards and unconscious Miyabi. "Not all of my patients have recovered, you know."

Naruto gave a hasty apology before excitedly rushing away, dragging the Uchiha with him. With the rambunctious blond gone, Sakura's shoulders slumped as exhaustion started to get the better of her. She had used far too much chakra, but she wasn't about to tell Kakashi that and have to listen to him lecture her again.

"Are you alright?" he asked, sensing that she had pushed herself to her limits.

"I'm fine," Sakura said with a dismissive wave of her hand, but when she tried to stand, her knees buckled. She would have fallen to the ground if Kakashi hadn't caught her, holding her smaller body against his in an embrace.

"Sakura, you're a terrible liar," Kakashi sighed, trying to ignore how good it felt to cradle her in his arms. "You've overworked yourself again."

"No, I'll be fine, just give me a second," Sakura mumbled defiantly even as her body sagged against him and her eyelids grew heavy.

"You'll be fine if you rest," he countered, scooping her up bridal style in his arms as if she weighed nothing. ""Right now you need to lie down."

He lowered her petite body onto the bed, and though Sakura usually would have protested against being babied, she was already asleep by the time her head hit the pillow. The Copy Nin gazed down at her serene visage, resisting the powerful urge to brush aside candy colored fringe and kiss her forehead. He wanted to remain by her side, wanted to hold her, protect her, but she no longer had a use for him.

He wanted to stay and watch over her but knew that the sooner he separated himself from her, the better. There was no point in drawing out the pain of losing her by agonizing over what he could never have.

With a heavy heart, Kakashi turned and left the room, gently closing the door behind him. The cold metal of the doorknob against his palm and the click of the latch sliding into place seemed to hold a horrible finality. He wished that he could just as easily close the door on his own emotions. If he could stop loving her, then maybe the horrible pain in his chest would ease.

XXXXX

"Are you sure Sakura is alright?" Naruto asked for the tenth time as the two of them stood side by side in the kitchen helping the girls prepare dinner.

"Yes. She's fine," the Copy Nin replied, drawing on deep reserves of patience as he chopped an onion. "She just needs rest. She's been using too much chakra lately."

The orange clad ninja paused in the middle of hacking an unfortunate carrot into uneven chunks, pointing his knife at his former teacher as he spoke enthusiastically. "She'll feel much better after we give her some of this food, right Kakashi-sensei?"

The silver haired man was quickly discovering that letting Naruto help in the kitchen by giving him a knife had been a very bad idea. He slowly placed his hand over the blond's wrist and applied a steady pressure until the knife was lowered. "If you want to make sure what we give her is edible, you'd better focus on cutting those carrots into smaller pieces, not cutting up my face."

Naruto grinned sheepishly when he realized just where he had been pointing his knife.

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered from his seat on the wooden bench. Yamato and the Uchiha had accompanied Tora and Misaki to the market, pitching in to buy all the extra food they would need to feed five additional men.

Sai sat across from him, peeling potatoes with a kunai since there weren't enough knives to go around. Surprisingly, the two had actually been able to sit in the same room and act civilized to each other, but that was probably due to the fact that Sai had his hands full with a very persistent Kitsune. Sasuke had been completely uninterested in all of her flirtatious antics, brushing her off and calling her annoying whenever she turned on her seductive charm. Sai on the other hand was completely clueless when it came to women and wasn't at all sure how to handle the redhead's forwardness.

As the artist carefully peeled potatoes, she came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his torso and pressing her generous bust to his back.

"Hey there," she purred. "Anything I can help you with?"

"Well, I'd lend you a kunai and have you help with the potatoes but they're tricky to use if you're not accustomed to handling them, and I wouldn't want you to cut yourself," Sai answered, not pausing for a moment as he expertly separated the vegetable from its skin.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and Kitsune giggled. "That's too bad," she breathed. "Perhaps there's something else I could do for you, something a little more...enjoyable."

"Enjoyable? As in...fun? I've heard people are happy when they are having fun. What do you propose?"

Kitsune laughed again, clearly amused and intrigued by Sai's odd answer. She had never met a man who wasn't ready to bed her after one simple, innuendo-filled comment. The young man's social ineptness was quite a change and she took it as a challenge. Not only that, but she found him quite attractive and his innocence only made him more desirable.

Her hand snaked down his chest, brushing over exposed abdominals to rest in his lap. "Perhaps I could help you with something like...this?" she whispered, giving the area between his legs a light squeeze.

Sai sucked in his breath as his eyes went wide, his kunai slipping from his fingers and falling to the table with a clatter.

"Kitsune, leave the poor thing alone," Tora chastised from her place in the doorway, a glass of amber alcohol in her hand. "Don't go corrupting the first pure soul we've had in here in years."

The redhead pouted but withdrew, but not before whispering something in Sai's ear about meeting her in her room later to which the hopelessly clueless man answered, "Do you fear sleeping alone? I hear many people are afraid of the dark."

Yamato chuckled from his place outside the hall and Tora sighed. Sasuke found the whole thing irritating enough that he stood up and left the crowded kitchen. Kakashi smiled quietly behind his mask and Naruto, who had been watching Misaki demonstrate how to cut carrots correctly, had been so focused that he had missed the entire exchange.

Jitsu and Aiya were not present, but that was to be expected. The rescued dancer had told her story about how she managed to get away, only to be recaptured, but hadn't left Jitsu's side for a moment. Even now they remained on the couch in the common room, hands clasped firmly together. It was as if Jitsu was afraid to let her out of her sight for fear that having her best friend returned to her was all just a dream and she would wake up to find her missing once more.

Sasuke left the commotion of the kitchen behind, walking instead to the closed door down the hall. He ignored the questioning look Yamato gave him as he stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.

He told himself he simply wanted to check on Sakura but he knew that wasn't entirely true. Since seeing his teammate for the first time after her long mission, he sensed a change in her. It wasn't so much how she looked, although he'd heard that she had become quite adept at fashionably styling her hair and applying makeup for her performances, a fact he was very curious to see proven. Mostly, it was about the way she carried herself. She seemed more confident now, more secure in her own skin. She had always been strong, but now that strength was accompanied by a sort of femininity Sasuke had never seen in her before.

It wasn't that she took care in her appearance. In fact, since returning, Sakura had been so busy healing the girls that she hadn't even bothered to shower until Kakashi forcibly made her take a break to do so, and for the most part, sleep deprivation ensured she looked like hell. But there was something in how she moved, how she spoke, a subtle sway in her hips, a panther-like grace that ran deeper than just the way she moved as a ninja.

This new Sakura was a mystery to him, but what really interested him was the fact that she hadn't fawned over him once. Hell, she hadn't even let her gaze linger on him. It was as if she no longer retained those childhood affections for him. Sasuke should have been glad to have finally rid himself of the admirer that had done nothing but irritate him, but he found himself feeling just the opposite. He was disappointed by the loss, and strangely jealous of the man she seemed to look at the most.

He was angered by his own feelings. After the loss of his clan, he had never let himself feel affection for anybody, yet here he was, interested in the girl that he had spent most of his life brushing off. The fact that he didn't understand his own emotions angered him more. When Sakura had been available, he hadn't wanted her, and now when it appeared he couldn't have her, he was suddenly intrigued. It might be a good idea to just stay away from the kunoichi for a while so he could sort out just what it was he was feeling, but that would mean leaving her with Kakashi and that was something he really didn't want to do.

She wasn't obvious about it, and a less observant individual might not have noticed, but Sakura was definitely interested in Kakashi. He could also see that Kakashi's attitude towards her had changed as well. He hovered around her constantly and seemed unusually concerned with her wellbeing. He didn't touch her often, but when he did, the touches were soft and tender, like those of a lover.

Sasuke had no way of knowing the extent of what had transpired between them, but he could sense both of them resisting their own feelings. They cared for each other, but for whatever reason, didn't want to show it. He could see it every time one caught the other looking, and the looker would quickly avert their eyes somewhere else. He could see it when they realized they'd been touching too long, or deliberately avoided touching at all. Sakura definitely had strong feelings for her teacher, and seemed to have forgotten all about the Uchiha in the process, and now that this Sakura was sexier, more confident, and completely uninterested in him, Sasuke found himself wanting that affection back.

The sun had been shrouded in clouds all day and had finally admitted defeat and sunk beneath the horizon. The room was lit only by a small lamp in the corner and the amber glow softened Sakura's features as the dark haired man approached. He looked at her for a long moment, trying to figure out what had him so captivated.

She slept soundly, sooty lashes resting gently against porcelain skin, petal pink lips parted invitingly. Had her lips always looked so soft? He wondered if Kakashi had had the privilege of tasting them and the thought angered him. What the hell did she see in that old man anyway? Hadn't the Uchiha been the one she had been waiting her whole life for?

Determined to sample her lips himself, Sasuke leaned over her sleeping form, bracing his hands on the bed as he leaned down to brush his lips against hers. He was so close that he could feel her warm breath against his cheek. He would remind her who she had initially loved, would show her that she still needed him, that he still had her heart in his hand, and this time he was ready to accept it.

Just as he was about to press his lips to hers, a sound behind him had him turning around quickly. His eyes widened at what he saw.

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That's it for now. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story until now. I really appreciate all the comments and emails I get regarding this story. All of your feedback has kept me writing when I really didn't want to work on this story anymore. The next chapter should be out soon and this time I mean it because it's already mostly done.

~J-Pop


	25. Chapter 25

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Stripped Bare- Chapter 25

The kitchen was filled with an enticing aroma as Misaki stirred the pot of bubbling curry. Carrots, onions and potatoes were mixed in with the creamy brown sauce and Naruto was practically salivating, whining every two minutes about how long it was taking to cook.

Tora shooed the orange clad pest away as she checked the rice. It was almost done and soon dinner would be served. There wasn't enough room on the bench in the kitchen for everyone to sit, so dinner would be moved to the common room where people could sit on the couches as well as the floor. Sai grabbed plates while Kakashi filled the miss-matched collection of cups with green tea bought especially for the occasion. Aiya and Jitsu were already on the couch as plates, drinks and utensils were brought out. Yamato took the large pot of rice from Tora's hands, lifting it as if it weighed little more than a single serving. The dark haired woman smiled at him gratefully. Carrying it all the way down the hall would have been a struggle. Since nobody trusted Naruto to carry the curry, he was given a package of paper napkins as Kakashi hoisted the curry off the stove and down to the other room.

Once preparations were complete, he disappeared down the hall to go wake Sakura. Although sleep was important, she hadn't been eating as much as she should have and he didn't want her to miss a meal.

He quietly opened the door, letting it swing inward, but what he saw caused his jaw to drop. There was Sasuke, his arm offered as a support to help the pale woman as she stood on wobbly legs.

"Miyabi," Kakashi said with awe, a smile forming beneath his mask. "You're awake!"

"Yes," she replied, looking equally astonished to have woken up back at the club instead of the mansion filled with unspeakable nightmares. "I suppose I am."

Sasuke helped her walk down the hall, although he shot a look over his shoulder at the kunoichi who was still sleeping peacefully. He had wanted to be the one to wake her but it looked like he would have to leave that job to Kakashi.

Miyabi emerged into the hallway and instantly all the chatter in the common room went silent, mouths falling open in amazement to see their friend awake and recovered.

Misaki was the first to speak, jumping up from her seat and practically launching herself at the brunette. The force of the curly haired blonde crashing into her with a desperate hug would have been enough to knock her down if she hadn't been hanging onto Sasuke's hand.

"Miyabi," the smaller girl sobbed. "Miyabi, we were so worried! I was so scared you would never wake up!"

The slender dancer let go of the Uchiha's hand to embrace her crying friend in a tight hug. At that moment, chaos erupted in the room as everyone started talked at once, some rushing towards the recently awakened girl, joining in the mass hug and practically dragging her towards the large gathering.

Kakashi smiled at the sound of laughter and tears as the family that lived in this house was once again made whole. He turned his attention back to Sakura, who was surprisingly still asleep. She had exhausted herself to the point that not even all this commotion could wake her. The Copy Nin was reluctant to disturb her. She looked so peaceful as she slept, beautiful despite her mussed hair and dark circles under her eyes.

He silently knelt next to her, this time unable to keep himself from letting his fingers ghost over her cheek and run affectionately through soft pink bangs. He wished he were living in a world where he could give into his desire to lean down and kiss her, where he could confess his love and have it both accepted and returned by her. He wished he could carry her back to Konoha and walk around hand in hand with her and know there wouldn't be people frowning and shaking their heads behind the couple's backs.

Unfortunately, reality provided none of these luxuries.

He resisted pressing his mask-covered lips to hers and instead put a hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. She was slow to wake, moaning softly before her eyes fluttered open, her emerald gaze still hazy with sleep.

"Hey," he said warmly. "Sorry to wake you, but its time to eat."

He reluctantly withdrew his hand, immediately missing the warmth of her body as he stood. Sakura yawned and stretched her arms overhead, realigning her muscles and bones after sleeping for several hours. She sat up, still slightly groggy, but the sleepiness instantly melted away when her eyes came to rest on the empty bed beside her.

"Where's-"

Kakashi held up a hand, silencing her before she could even finish the question. "She's just fine. She's receiving quite the welcome out in the other room. You should go join them."

A smile slowly spread over Sakura's lips and despite her best efforts, tears formed in her eyes. "She's awake," she sniffled, a little embarrassed that she had once again been reduced to tears, but too overjoyed to dwell on the fact that she seemed to be regressing back into a crybaby.

"Yes, Sakura. You saved her," Kakashi said, extending his hand to help her into a standing position. "You are one hell of a medic."

Relief and happiness washed through the kunoichi as she made her way to the hallway. The scene that met her eyes convinced her that everything she had gone through during this mission, all the hurt and fear and suffering, had been worth it to reunite these girls and free them from the horrible life they had been forced to live. The friendships she had formed and the kinship she felt with them was so strong that she would go through it all again for them if she had to. In all her years as a shinobi, she had never formed bonds like this with those she had helped.

She ran into the middle of the chaos and soon her tears were flowing with the others as she embraced Miyabi fiercely. She was unaware of the way Kakashi watched her, his single dark eye holding a sadness that didn't match the smile beneath his mask.

XXXXX

What had started out as a simple meal quickly escalated into a celebration. It had been months since all the girls had been together like this. Although their future was uncertain with Dajaku no longer around to run the club, a great weight had been lifted now that they were no longer obligated to dance for a living.

Even though there were twelve hungry mouths, there was enough for seconds, or in Naruto's case, thirds. Sakura couldn't remember the club ever being so full of laughter and joy. Chatter continued long after plates had been emptied, and Sakura couldn't help but laugh out loud at Kitsune's shameless advances toward Sai and his clearly perplexed responses. Naruto and Sasuke bickered briefly but Tora intervened with a no nonsense attitude that even Tsunade would have been proud of.

Although it was only for a moment, Sakura was sure she had seen Tora's hand rest lightly on Yamato's thigh, who was sitting next to her; a surprising gesture from the woman who had passionately declared her disgust with men everywhere. A blush painted Yamato's cheeks as he laughed nervously. The kunoichi couldn't help but smile at her former team leader's bashfulness. It appeared he wasn't quite as adept at handling the opposite sex as her sensei.

The thought immediately made her heart sink despite all the cheerfulness around her. She had been hoping to sit next to him, even though she knew such behavior was reminiscent of when she had been younger. Luck was not on her side and she had instead ended up sitting with three people between them, Kitsune to her left and Sasuke to her right, so she could barely even see him unless she leaned into the circle they had created. He did not try to speak to her, instead talking politely to Aiya and Jitsu, who were sitting on his left. She couldn't help but notice the irony of the situation. Before this mission, she would have been ecstatic to sit next to her long time crush, and now that she had the chance, there was someone else who had her heart. She supposed it was true. She really had gotten over the Uchiha. It was a shame that the man who took his place was just as unattainable.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto spoke up from his seat beside Sasuke. "When do we get to see you dance?"

The orange clad ninja had unfortunately decided to voice this question while she was in the middle of taking a long sip of tea. It was all she could do to keep from spraying the beverage all over those sitting across from her. Instead, she choked down the tea, coughing and sputtering as more liquid made it into her lungs than her stomach.

"Oh that's a wonderful idea!" Kitsune piped up. "You're a fantastic dancer. You should show your friends how good you are!"

Sakura turned to her redheaded friend with a horrified expression, still coughing as Sasuke hesitantly patted her on the back.

"Are you crazy?" the kunoichi wheezed. "I'm not going to get up and dance by myself!"

"Well of course not, dear. I'm sure we'd all be dancing with you, although taking off clothes is optional this time." She gave Sai a wink as she looped her arm around him and pulled him to her abruptly, his face now resting on the plush fullness of her breasts. Fortunately, the mounds were currently covered by a T-shirt as opposed to some of the revealing tops she wore while she performed.

"B-but..." Sakura stammered, unaware that Sasuke's hand still lingered on her shoulder as she tried to think of a way out of her current predicament.

"That sounds fun!" Misaki chimed in from across the circle. "And since we're dancing for your friends, we don't really have to dance like we normally do. We can just have a good time!"

"Yes, it would be nice just to dance for fun," Miyabi added, giving the blonde girl next to her a smile.

"Miyabi, not you too!" Sakura groaned.

"I'm up for it," Jitsu said quietly before looking over at her best friend.

"I may be a little out of practice, but why not?" Aiya replied.

Naruto and Sasuke's eyes bounced from girl to girl as they spoke, and a devious grin formed on the blonde man's lips. "It looks like you're running out of excuses Sakura-chan."

Sakura looked over at Tora for help, but the brunette seemed to be deeply engaged in conversation with Yamato. Kakashi was watching the exchange with a bored expression and didn't seem to care about it one way or another. Sakura supposed she shouldn't be surprised. He had already seen all she had to offer anyway.

"But I thought you girls would want to stop, now that you don't have to dance anymore," the kunoichi said.

Misaki shook her head, pale curls bouncing with the movement. "We all love to dance!"

"We just dislike being made to dance in front of strange and perverted men," Miyabi finished.

"Yeah, well Naruto here is strange and he's definitely a little perverted," Sakura shot back, ignoring the wounded pout and big blue eyes at her comment.

"Oh come on," Aiya persuaded. "He did help save me after all."

At this, Naruto's crestfallen expression was replaced by a beaming smile while Sakura glowered. "He was just completing the mission assigned to him," the kunoichi pointed out sulkily.

"But we should thank them for all their hard work," Kitsune replied, shifting her attention to Sai and playfully dragging a long fingernail across his chest. The artist just stared at her blankly.

"Yeah!" Misaki agreed. "And besides, it will be the last time we can all dance together! Please say you'll do it!"

Now Sakura found herself staring into two sets of hopeful blue eyes. It was like Misaki and Naruto were long lost twins.

"Pleeeeeease?" the curly haired girl begged. Her adorable expression would have put a puppy to shame.

Sakura hung her head in defeat. It appeared she had lost this round. "I can't believe I'm agreeing to this!"

"All right!" Naruto cried enthusiastically as he punched his fist into the air. Misaki giggled at the display while Miyabi stood gracefully and began collecting plates. "I suppose we should get started on the dishes then." she remarked.

Sakura buried her face in her hands and sighed. Sasuke leaned over so he could speak softly and still be heard over the cacophony around them. "Are you really going to dance?"

"I guess so," she replied without lifting her head. She was so preoccupied for the thought of a potentially humiliating dance session that she failed to notice the fact that for once, Sasuke actually sounded rather interested in watching her. She also missed the dark shadow that flickered over Kakashi's face at the sight of Sasuke leaning in to whisper in her ear, hand placed intimately on her back as if it belonged there. Without a word, the silver haired man rose and followed Miyabi into the kitchen, dishes in hand.

XXXXX

Sakura couldn't believe she was actually doing this. She stood in a simple faded sports bra and black shorts since she had already experienced first hand the hazards of pole dancing in sweats. The rest of the girls were dressed similarly except for Tora who offered to run the music instead.

The visiting shinobi were all seated in the middle of the room so they could watch everyone, but of course their seats were closest to Sakura. Sasuke, Naruto and Sai sat on one side of a table and Kakashi and Yamato on the other. Naruto looked almost giddy with anticipation, Sai seemed confused, Sasuke intrigued, Yamato slightly uncomfortable and Kakashi indifferent. Although he had already seen her dance countless times, it was the Copy Nin that Sakura truly wanted to perform for, yet he seemed like there were places he would rather be.

Her brooding was cut short as the club suddenly went dark. A sultry female voice spoke out and Sakura shook her head in the darkness. It seemed Tora was going to add theatrics to this humiliating experience.

"Gentlemen, what you are about to witness is a special performance just for you. Sit back and relax as these lovely ladies entertain you."

A slow beat started to thrum through the mostly empty room. The volume was much softer than when the club was open to the public, but with only a handful of people in the open space, it was perfectly audible. A moment later, the colored lights switched on. It appeared Tora was making this as close to a real performance as possible, except the dancers didn't have to wear ridiculously skimpy clothing or take it off later.

"Woo! Go Sakura!" Naruto cheered and the kunoichi felt her face warm. Although she had done this many times before for a room of hundreds of people, it was somehow harder to dance for five men that she knew personally.

She took a deep breath and reverted to the same strategy that had gotten her through numerous performances. She focused on the music and let the primal beat thrum through her, walking around the pole to the rhythm of the music. Her hips swayed subtly but they were not the same exaggerated movements she had used in the past. The goal here was not to seduce but to simply have fun dancing.

Movement in her periphery told her that the other girls were dancing as well, but her little audience seemed mostly interested watching her...except Yamato, who seemed too embarrassed to look in her direction for long.

Naruto looked like a kid at Christmas, all smiles as Sakura strutted around the pole. Sakura smirked. She usually wasn't one to show off, but she wanted to impress her teammates. They would probably be stronger, faster, more able ninja than she, but she doubted any of them would ever be able to do what she was about to show them.

She climbed the pole easily, having foregone high heels in favor of simple bare feet. Every movement was smooth and graceful as she made her way to the top. Hanging on with her legs, she arched backwards until she could grab the pole again, spine curved in a U-shape.

"Whoa," she heard Naruto murmur in awe and she couldn't help but giggle to herself.

Very carefully, she unhooked one leg and placed her foot on the pole and then the other, putting herself in a position similar to a gymnast's bridge, only parallel to the pole. She pushed off with one foot, letting the leg open up until she was in a split position, and then let the second follow. Moving with smooth, controlled grace, she performed what would have been a back walkover on the ground, but was eight feet in the air. She completed the move, bringing herself upright on the pole again and smoothly slid down back to the floor.

She allowed herself to glance into the audience, wanting to gauge the reaction of one particular spectator. Looking over Sasuke's head, she could see her former sensei, arms crossed over his chest, slouching slightly in his seat as was customary for the man with poor posture. But what made her heart clench was the fact that he wasn't even looking at her. His head was turned to the side, watching Aiya dance. She supposed it made sense since Kakashi had never seen her dance before. After all, it wasn't like he felt anything special for her anyway. All she was to him was a mission partner.

XXXXX

Watching Sakura dance was pure torture. Kakashi had been expecting her to adamantly refuse Naruto's request to see her perform, but to his surprise and dismay, it seemed she would be dancing one more time. He had done his best to school his features into an expression of indifference, both during dinner and now as she danced, and he hoped he was doing a good job so that those around him couldn't see the turbulent expressions that boiled just beneath the surface.

It didn't matter that she wasn't dressed in a provocative little bikini and lacked the glamorous makeup and hairstyle that usually accompanied her performances. Hell, it didn't even matter that she wouldn't be shedding a single piece of clothing. Watching her up on that stage, swaying to the music, laughing and smiling, was no less painful than having a kunai driven through his heart. She was beautiful, so damn beautiful, and he loved every inch of her.

He thought she had been dead in his arms, only to be granted a miracle and watch her awaken. He had shared intimacy with her in a way he had never come close to experiencing with anybody else. She was strong and powerful, smart and courageous, yet had a vulnerable side, and had confessed all her insecurities as he held her tightly in his arms, caressing her soft skin with his lips. Easing inside her glorious body had to be the closest thing to heaven on this side of death, and yet just listening to her heart beat gave him a kind of peace he had never known.

It was terrifying how much he loved this woman, and sickeningly heart wrenching to know he could never have her. He supposed he should use this time to watch her while he could, to enjoy one last dance, but he found that looking at her hurt too much, and so he looked away to another girl who did not have control of his heart.

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Sakura completed another graceful spiral down the pole, sinking effortlessly to the floor and playfully blowing a kiss to Kakashi. She was determined not to let her distress show and kept her smile in place, hoping that maybe, just maybe she could communicate to the masked man through movement what she knew she couldn't say with words.

'Look at me!' she thought desperately, as if she could send him the command telepathically. She once again climbed to the top, leaning back and opening her legs up in a perfect split before bending them and swinging them around, using the momentum to descend in another spiral. As she got to her knees, her heart soared as she saw that Kakashi was finally looking at her. She gathered messy pink strands into a pile atop her head with one hand while the other smoothed along the crook on her neck. Green eyes tried to catch his gaze, the emerald orbs all but pleading for him to understand what she was trying to say.

'Please, Kakashi. Don't you see? I love you!'

XXXXX

"Sakura has grown quite skilled," Sai remarked as he watched his pink haired teammate twist her body in ways he previously had thought impossible. "She's actually...what's that word...sexy."

Kakashi silently had to agree as he reluctantly turned his head back to her, unable to look away any longer. She had slid to the floor and was on her knees, her mouth parted in a delectable pout that was oh-so-appealing. Her eyes were burning with an intensity he hadn't seen outside of the bedroom. Her hand smoothed over the place where her neck met her shoulder, and Kakashi could remember all the times he had kissed and suckled the sensitive skin there. Her eyes were twin pools of green fire, her expression hungry, almost desperate for something...someone. For a brief moment, Kakashi's heart leapt at the though that maybe she did care for an old man like him after all, that maybe both of them had been playing this game of hiding their emotions from one another. But then he realized who sat in front of him, who her desperate gaze was obviously directed to.

Sasuke.

Of course she would pick up right where she left off, admiring him as she had done for over a decade now. Kakashi let out a soft, humorous laugh at his own foolishness, although the music easily drowned out the sound. He was a silly old man for dreaming impossible dreams. He couldn't look at her, couldn't stand the sight of that perfect body, that beautiful face, that soft cascade of bubblegum hair. He had to get away, had to wipe Sakura from his mind somehow, even if it was just for a little while.

He abruptly pushed back his chair and stood, walking to the large double doors on the far side of the room. He cracked one open and slipped through into the cool embrace of the night.

XXXXX

Sakura watched Kakashi go, eyes burning as tears formed and yet she stubbornly refused to let them fall. In fact, she smiled more brightly even as her eyes followed Kakashi's path across the room and out the door. Perhaps he hadn't understood her wordless message, or perhaps he had comprehended perfectly and given her an answer of his own. Either way, the result would be the same. If Kakashi wasn't even interested in watching her dance, then his feelings about her romantically were all too clear.

The first song ended, and then another came on. Sakura smiled and went through the motions, trying not to let her friend's see how much Kakashi's departure had upset her. When the second song ended, the lights came up and Tora joined them back out in the audience, sitting next to Yamato. The rest of the girls hopped down from their platforms and began to gather.

"That was so cool!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping up from his chair. "I wanna do that!"

Sasuke gave another exasperated roll of his eyes but didn't say anything. Misaki giggled and held out her hand. "Want me to teach you some stuff?"

"Hell yeah!" the whiskered man exclaimed, and Sakura could only groan as two blonde haired, blue eyed people, laughing like children, climbed up on the nearest platform..

Kitsune had plopped herself in Sai's lap and was purring in his ear. The artist seemed a bit confused by this sudden invasion of his space but conversed with her politely. Sakura could only hope Sai didn't end up calling her "ugly" or some other equally inappropriate name, although knowing the redhead she would probably take an insult like that as a challenge. She already seemed determined to seduce him before they returned to Konoha.

Miyabi came to stand next to her, smiling as she surveyed the scene, and Sakura knew she must be thanking whatever deity was above them that she had been able to return to her friends safely.

"I'm sure your friends must be surprised to see you dance like that," she laughed softly.

"Yes," Sakura admitted, cheeks warming at the thought. Thank goodness they hadn't showed up sooner when she was performing for real. "You wouldn't believe it now, but I was something of a prude before I came here. For them to see me like this...I guess they must be pretty surprised."

The elegant brunette shook her head. "I believe it. This place changes you. You can't afford to be modest or shy and you have to toughen up or you won't survive."

Sakura nodded, having experienced that fact for herself. She only hoped that those days were over for these girls.

She sank down into a chair at one of the round tables and moments later, Aiya and Jitsu sat down in the seats on either side of her. They tittered to each other, occasionally asking Sakura a question as well, but she couldn't help but be distracted, glancing wistfully at the door through which Kakashi had left. She wondered what he was doing right now.

"You're dancing was...you looked...nice."

Sakura looked over in the direction of the soft voice to find Sasuke standing beside her.

"Thank you," she replied absently, turning back to the door. If she hadn't been so preoccupied, she would have realized that not only was the Uchiha giving her a compliment, he actually seemed a little flustered as well. Unfortunately, all she could think about was Kakashi.

"Sakura, do you think that I...I mean, could we-"

The kunoichi never heard the rest of what he said. Her eyes wandered back to the room just in time to catch Kitsune pulling Sai towards the private booths at the far end of the room. While Sai might have been clueless as to her intensions, sketch pad and pen gripped in the hand that the redhead wasn't clinging to, Sakura knew exactly what she had planned. It seemed the lamb was being dragged to the wolf's lair.

She got up from her chair, intending to intercept the couple and save Sai from a certain deflowering, but then she heard Naruto cry in triumph and looked over to find him hanging upside down on the pole in nothing but a hideous pair of orange and green boxers. Misaki was standing next to him, laughing so hard that she was doubled over.

"Naruto, put your clothes back on!" the kunoichi shouted as a vein began to throb on her forehead. She looked to Yamato for help but he was engaged in conversation with Tora, heads together and talking softly. Her eyes darted back to Kitsune just in time to see her close the door to the large booth at the end of the row.

"Shit," Sakura muttered. Sai was on his own now, and he didn't stand a chance against someone with such a voracious sexual appetite.

Naruto continued laughing, sliding down the pole like a fireman and Sakura groaned at the mess things had suddenly become. She walked over to try and convince him to put his clothes back on, leaving behind Sasuke, who never got to finish what he had been trying to say.

XXXXX

It was agreed upon that the group of shinobi would stay another three days so Sakura could monitor Aiya and Miyabi in case an unforeseen side effect of their kidnapping should arise. Yamato sent out a report to Tsunade, updating her on the situation and letting her know they would all be home soon.

Sakura hadn't seen Kakashi return the night he left, but he had been back at the club when she awoke the next morning. He seemed to spend much of his time avoiding her, and Sakura couldn't bear how much it hurt. To distract herself, she tried to occupy her time by talking with everyone else.

She asked Yamato about Tora, but he always side stepped the question, making the kunoichi think he felt more for the brunette than he was willing to let on. All she could get out of Tora was that she thought Yamato might be the first decent man she had ever met. Coming from her, that was quite a compliment.

She had confronted Sai on just what had gone on with Kitsune inside the booth. The artist had simply handed her his sketch book with the reply, "I drew her."

The pink haired woman flipped open to a picture of a very naked Kitsune reclined on the bed. The pictures only got more graphic from there, some of them downright pornographic, every intimate detail of the curvaceous redhead recreated in shades of gray. Sakura had no doubt Kitsune had enjoying posing for each and every one of the portraits.

"She was really a lovely model. Very cooperative," Sai remarked, oblivious of the fact that Sakura's cheeks were becoming redder with every page she turned in his sketchbook.

"I'm sure she was," Sakura muttered. "And what did you two do after you were finished drawing her?"

A dreamy expression formed on Sai's face, but he said nothing, and no amount of persuading from the kunoichi could get him to say otherwise. All he would say was that the experience was very educational.

When she spoke to Kitsune, the redhead gushed about what a turn on it had been to model for him, how his dark eyes had burned her skin as he took in her naked form, staring at every little part of her so intensely. She said it had been one of the most sensual and erotic experiences she had ever had, but when asked about what had happened after that, she had turned coy. Sakura sighed. She supposed she would never know if Sai's virginity was still intact, but judging by the knowing glances the couple often gave each other, the kunoichi assumed that Kitsune had taken in upon herself to make Sai a man.

Naruto and Misaki were often together now, but were never far from Miyabi. Sakura couldn't help but be reminded of two children getting together for a play date with the mother watching over them. Aiya and Jitsu often got involved too, like two sisters that hated to be apart, but it was hard to tell whether they played the parts of children or of adults.

Sakura assisted in cleaning out Dajaku and Tsuranai's rooms. The task had already been started while waiting for the two girls to recover, but there was plenty left to do. Fortunately, there were enough strong shinobi to assist with lifting the heavy furniture so they wouldn't have had to call in Juu. It turned out the large man had been offered a job as a bodyguard, although nobody knew who his employer was. The job was a good match for the former bouncer and janitor. Juu was strong and loyal, but not smart enough to ask questions about whatever shady business his employer was involved in, and if he was to work in Fuzen Machi, suspicious business transactions were guaranteed. Juu had been reluctant to leave, but the girls encouraged him to take the new job. With the club closed, they no longer had a source of income or the money to pay him, and there was no point in having him mop floors that didn't get walked on much anymore.

Silk shirts, cashmere sweaters, diamond rings, teak furniture. The more stuff they found in the bedrooms, the angrier Sakura became at all the wealth that had been hidden within the very same place that the dancers lived, and yet they had all been forced to live in poverty except for the star. The kunoichi consoled herself with the fact that if they were able to sell everything here, there would be plenty of money to allow each girl to start a new life far away from this place.

Working in such close quarters meant a lot of bumping into people, but nobody seemed to mind. What bothered Sakura was that no matter what, Kakashi never seemed to be in the same room as her. She began to wonder if she had done something to make him angry or if the intimacy they had shared had somehow irreparably changed their friendship.

On the other hand, the person she found herself constantly close to was Sasuke. He was always near, although usually aloof. He didn't talk much, but she could feel his eyes on her when she wasn't looking. She took a small amount of pride in the fact that after her little pole dancing performance, the Uchiha probably didn't know how to act around her. She knew she was more feminine now and comfortable with her body in a way she never thought she'd be able to achieve. Maybe Sasuke sensed it too and was unsure how to associate with the woman that had essentially become a stranger. She'd have to find time to assure him that deep down she was still the same old Sakura, but at the moment, she had gold jewelry to sort and heavy furniture to hoist.

The daunting task of cleaning out the rooms took up most of the remaining time the shinobi stayed. By the time they had gotten everything organized and Sakura had finished her last medical exam on both Aiya and Miyabi, she realized her final three days in Fuzen Machi had come to a close.

They were to leave early in the morning, just after dawn, and Sakura spent the night before packing up her belongings and making final preparations for the trip. She hadn't seen Konoha for nearly six months and was eager to go home, but she knew she would miss the friends she had made here dearly. She had promised to write and insisted that each and every one of them keep her updated on what happened to them. She wanted to hear all about the new and glorious lives they had all dreamed of starting.

It was dark now, not that she could tell in the windowless room where she sat. Misaki and Miyabi were both fast asleep, but the kunoichi was restless and unable to relax. She crept silently down the hall and past the common room where Tora and Yamato were on the couch, asleep in each other's arms. Sakura couldn't help but smile at the unlikely pair. She hoped the two of them would continue to keep in contact even after the shinobi went home.

She went downstairs into the dressing room that had been vacated for some time and stood in front of her table, letting her fingers trail lightly over the scarred wooden surface. She had made so many memories here. She remembered the girls doing her hair and makeup, and then gradually learning how to get ready on her own. She had been scared here, embarrassed, heartbroken, but also happy, surrounded by the warmth and laughter of the girls she had sworn to save, and did.

She sat down in the rickety wooden chair and switched on the bulbs that surrounded the mirror. The woman that stared back at her was not the same one that had come here all those months ago. This woman was tougher, smarter, and carried the sensuality Kakashi had always told her had been within here somewhere. She smiled sadly at the thought of the Copy Nin. It was so ironic that everything Kakashi had done to help, served only to hurt her in the end.

The tears came unbidden, but she didn't try and stop them, knowing she was alone for now. She let them flow down her cheeks as silent sobs wracked her body. All the times Sasuke had called her stupid and useless hadn't hurt this bad. Seeing Naruto turn into a strange Kyuubi hybrid hadn't frightened her this much.

She cross her arms on top of the table's wooden surface and rested her head atop them. She knew the biggest reason she didn't want to go back to Konoha. As much as she loved the girls here, it wasn't because of them. Once she was back in Konoha, Kakashi would disappear from her life. Things would go back to the way they used to be where she hardly ever saw him. He would become a stranger despite all they had shared, and the thought tore Sakura apart.

She raised her head, grimacing at her tear-streaked reflection. She was a mess.

She was about to stand when her eyes fell to the small brass knobs the adorned the drawers of her dressing table. she pulled one open, finding all her makeup, just as she had left it. It wasn't a large collection of cosmetics, but still contained more than just the basics. Although she doubted she would hardly use them back in Konoha, it wouldn't hurt for her to take them with her. There was nothing wrong with wanting to be pretty once in a while. Perhaps she would even wear light makeup at the hospital every now and then.

Hair products were in the next drawer, and once again, Sakura decided to take them with her even though they probably wouldn't get much use.

Her fingers wandered to the last drawer, and pulled it open, finding all or her costumes neatly folded. Every costume held a different memory. The hideous pink one marked her first night of dancing. She had been terrified, but had suffered through it. The other equally pink one with detachable rings that marked the only night she had stripped completely for the crowd. But the more she looked over the costumes, the more she realized they all reminded her of one particular man.

The sparkly red one that she had wore the night she gave him that rather steamy lap dance.

The black and orange one she hard worn the night she showed up to his motel.

The silver and white one that Kakashi had peeled off of her the night he had taken her in the bathroom of the club.

Memories of the way he had touched her while wearing various outfits played over in her mind. The purple one...the black one...all of them reminded her of Kakashi. She picked up the red bikini top, fingering the silky material thoughtfully. Such little outfits would be easy to carry and wouldn't take up much room in her pack. Konoha stores certainly didn't sell anything like these. Her village was much more conservative than the famed city of sin. She knew she would never wear them again, so it was foolish to take them, but though Sakura had never been overly sentimental, she found herself unable to part with all the naughty little outfits in the drawer.

She stood slowly, wiping away the remnants of her tears with the back of her hand. Turning on her heel, the kunoichi headed back upstairs to grab her pack since she had too many items to carry upstairs without it. She couldn't help but smile at the thought that the backpack used for survival would soon become a portable stripper kit. She just hoped Naruto didn't get nosy and go through her pack looking for extra food or something. If he made it known just what she was carrying around with her, she would personally see to it that he made it back to Konoha as a corpse.

XXXXX

Sakura had been so engrossed in what she was doing that she hadn't noticed Sasuke standing in the doorway. He said nothing, simply watching her silently as she examined the contents of her dressing table drawers.

Seeing her dance earlier that evening had been unlike anything he had ever seen. She was sexy, beautiful, skilled, all the things he desired in a woman but had never seen in her before. He tried to imagine her dancing in a real show at the club, turning on her newly acquired sex appeal full blast. She hadn't taken off her clothes tonight, but he found himself wanting very badly to see what she had kept concealed, wanted touch that skin that was suddenly so alluring and see just how wild she had become. He wanted to be the focus of the sultry green gaze, and could only imagine what it would be like to have her on his lap, asking her to show him the other skills she had learned while she was here.

Sasuke had never been one to fall prey to lust, but now he realized he wanted her badly. Perhaps he had finally found the woman he wanted to revive his clan with, and had never felt so eager to start the task, imagining how he would make her his, and work on reviving the clan every night, in every position he could think of. He would take her hard and fast, then torturously slow. He would hold her down and make her moan, and then let her be on top and command that she work her body against his to his liking.

The Uchiha knew his goal was attainable. She had loved him since they were children after all, although he had found her adoration to be nothing but an annoyance. He expected all he had to do was say the word and she would come to him, hardly believing her dreams were coming true. However, Sasuke was not so naive as to think sexual prowess was all that Sakura had gained while away from Konoha.

He had seen the way her eyes had followed Kakashi as he left the room and the crestfallen look that had appeared on her fact for only a second before she composed herself. She cared for him deeply, maybe even loved him, and he was fairly certain Kakashi felt the same way, but neither seemed to know how the other felt. If Sasuke had his way, they never would.

The dark haired man watched her push her chair back and stand, his eyes tracking her every movement as she made her way back up the stairs. When they all got back to Konoha, he would make his move.

XXXXX

Morning came far too soon and half an hour after dawn, Sakura and her shinobi friends were gathered downstairs and ready to depart. The girls had gotten up to see them off, Misaki yawning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Sakura had to admit that this was the earliest she had ever seen the blonde awake.

The kunoichi hadn't been prepared for the tears that came when it was truly time to say goodbye. These girls had been her family for nearly half a year and had become so much a part of her life, that she didn't know what she would do without them.

They all stood in a line, radiant and beautiful as ever even in their pajamas, and Sakura hugged each one fiercely in turn. Her male companions gave her the time she needed, understanding that this had become much more than just a mission to the pink haired woman.

"We have something for you," Jitsu announced softly. "We found this in Tsurenai's room, but we want you to have it."

The brown haired girl stepped forward, offering something small and glimmering in the palm of her hand.

"It could never really convey how grateful we are to you, honey, but we hope you'll accept it anyway," Tora said.

Sakura gently lifted the object out of Jitsu's hand, discovering that it was a pendent that hung on a thin gold chain. The pendant was the size of a large coin and round in shape, but what really caught her eye was that inside the glass, was a sakura flower, perfectly pressed and immortalized, it's petals still the same delicate pink as the day it bloomed on the tree.

"It reminded us of you," Miyabi said as Sakura marveled at the necklace. "We couldn't imagine it belonging to anyone else."

"It's beautiful," the kunoichi breathed. Indeed, it had taken some skill to create such a piece. The craftsman's ship was excellent and she suspected the chain was real gold. She had a feeling the necklace would be worth quite a bit of money. "I love it, I really do...but wouldn't it be better to sell it and use the money to get out of this place? You've paid us in full for the mission and that's enough for us."

Misaki shook her head, sending her blonde curls bouncing. "No way! We have plenty of other stuff to sell. Besides, nobody else would look as pretty wearing it as you!"

"We want you to have it," Kitsune said gently. "Even if you don't wear it much, we hope that you'll look at it from time to time and think of us."

"Y-you guys..." Sakura stammered, her tears one again flowing and choking her speech as she was overwhelmed by their kindness. An unspoken signal caused all the dancers to surround her, enveloping her in a group hug. Resounding sniffles proved that Sakura wasn't the only one who had started to cry.

Kakashi watched his former student cling desperately to the other girls.. His heart was filled with both pride and envy as he watched her. She had made so many close friends so quickly and it was obvious how much the dancers had come to love her. Kakashi could count on one hand the friends he had made like that, and yet Sakura had formed such strong bonds so easily. He supposed he could see why. She was easy to love, charismatic, compassionate, yet possessed a great inner strength. She would probably go on to make many more friends like the ones here. A part of Kakashi longed to do the same, but at the same time, he knew the pain that came with loosing a friend like that. That was why he preferred to make fewer friends and never let them get too close. But in another world, another time and place where he was not a shinobi that had to watch his comrades die, it would be wonderful to always be surrounded by the smiling warmth of friends.

It would be easy for her to forget all about him once they were back home. Patients at the hospital and the friends she had missed would fill the void he left, assuming she felt an emptiness without him at all. He wished he too had something besides his books that would make the pink haired beauty easier to forget.

Gradually, the mass of around Sakura broke apart and the kunoichi did her best to dry her eyes.

"Thank you," Sakura said, clutching the necklace to her chest. "I'll always think of you all every time I look at this."

She placed it inside her pack, wrapping it up in several of her bikini tops to protect it. Fortunately, nobody could see inside and realize she was taking home all of her outfits. As she worked, her had brushed against something cold and metallic. She realized it was her hitai-ate, the forehead protector with her village's emblem. She had put it in her pack all those months ago and hadn't been able to wear it while undercover. Sakura pulled it out and ran her fingers over its cool surface putting it on, tying the knot under the large bun that would keep her hair out of the way for the journey home. It was a symbolic gesture, one more step that showed she was leaving this world behind and returning to her old life, the shinobi life, the life without Kakashi.

"Promise you'll all write me," she pleaded as she shouldered her pack and gave each girl yet another hug. "Don't forget about me!"

"We could never forget you," Miyabi said. "Not after all you've done for us."

"We'll all write you every month, honey. I'll see to it," Tora said.

Sakura didn't ask what would happen when all the girls broke up and went in different directions to start their new lives. The club was the only thing that held them all together, and now that it was gone, it was inevitable that they drift apart. She just hoped that no matter how far they all traveled, they would all stay in touch.

"You're sure you won't come back to Konoha with us?" Sakura asked one more time. She had told the girls they were all more than welcome to make her village their new home.

Kitsune shook her head. "Maybe someday, but we have to finish up here first. It would be easy to leave this all behind but frankly, I want to sell all of Dajaku's stuff and get a little cash!"

They all laughed at that.

"Although," the redhead purred, her eyes falling on Sai once more. "It would be nice to visit once in a while."

The artist offered her a smile that didn't seem as fake as usual and the brazen woman walked over, grabbed his hair and hauled him into a kiss that was a little too graphic for public viewing.

Tora shook her head at her friend's shamelessness, but offered Yamato a smile of her own and allowed him to embrace her in a gentle hug. Sakura saw real potential between them and sincerely hoped that one day, Tora would come to Konoha so their relationship could have a chance. Naruto caught Misaki in a bear hug that made her squeal with laughter while Sasuke curtly nodded towards several of the girls in farewell.

Kakashi was going to settle for simple handshakes with Aiya and Jitsu but they both exchanged mischievous glances before tackling in a fierce hug from either side. Although his trademark mask was in place, the blush that crept over the bridge of his nose betrayed his embarrassment.

"Take care of Sakura," Jitsu said softly and the Copy nin could only nod as a weight settled in his chest. He wanted nothing more than to take care of the cherry blossom for the rest of his life. He only wished it were possible.

Goodbyes finally coming to an end, the shinobi walked through the double doors into the sooty morning air of Fuzen Machi. The dancers wished them luck on their journey, waving at them as they walked down the street until they disappeared around the corner and were gone.

XXXXX

Can you believe I've been working on this story for nearly two years? It's almost done, I promise! The next chapter will be the last. Unfortunately, I haven't even started the final chapter yet and don't know when I will have the chance. I am graduating college this semester and have to figure out what I'm going to do with my life. I sort of need a job and a place to live so there's not much time for writing. I feel I owe it to all of you to conclude this story, so I will...eventually. I just don't know when.


	26. Chapter 26

This is it, the final chapter in this exceedingly lengthy story. It has taken me about two and a half years to write this fic. Can you believe it? I apologize for the delay with this update. It took me a while to work out the ending of this story. Even now I am not convinced that it's perfect but I'm hoping my readers will enjoy the closer I've finally been able to bring to this story.

XXXXX

Stripped Bare- Chapter 26

Sakura could hardly believe she was staring at Konoha's familiar green gates. It seemed like ages since she had seen her home, and now she was finally here.

The trip home had been long but uneventful, and she enjoyed the company of the four other ninja who had come to her rescue. Naruto's constant chatter made her laugh despite her weariness, and the presence of the others meant she didn't have talk to Kakashi or even walk near him. She stayed more towards the front of the party while he brought up the rear, and though it pained her that he ignored her most of the time, she figured it was better than being alone with him in an unbearably tense atmosphere.

She longed to talk with her former sensei before they entered Konoha and he disappeared from her life, but she didn't know what to say and he made no effort to start a conversation. She supposed she wouldn't have been able to endure being brushed off by him anyway. Instead, she turned to Naruto and Yamato for conversation since Sai was as inept as always and Sasuke remained his quiet, brooding self.

As their party entered the village, Izumo and Kotetsu greeted them. The two had been assigned the job of gate keepers for as long as Sakura could remember. She wondered if they ever got to go out and take missions anymore.

Now that she was home at last, all she wanted to do was go back to her quiet apartment, take a hot shower and collapse into bed and sleep for a week. Maybe when she woke up, she would forget all about her love for her former sensei. Or maybe he would even be in bed next to her when she opened her eyes, his own hot with passion as he confessed that he in fact did love her and he was ready to keep her in bed all day to show her just how much.

Sakura shook her head, clearing away the thoughts. Now was no time for daydreaming. She had to report to the Hokage and explain what had turned a supposedly simple mission into an extremely long absence. The kunoichi had no intention of telling Tsunade every juicy detail of her experiences in Fuzen Machi. In fact, she planned on leaving out the whole part where she slept with her sensei in his motel room. And in his shower. And in the hallway. She probably should have talked it out with Kakashi first to make sure their stories lined up but it was too late for that now. Since he was technically the superior on this mission, he had to write the report anyway. She supposed he would do some editing of his own because she doubted he'd confess to the most powerful woman in Konoha that he had deflowered the woman who had been her protégé for several years now. Sakura decided the smartest thing to do would be to keep her mouth shut and let Kakashi do the explaining.

Everything was just as she remembered it. The main street was bustling as midmorning shoppers examined goods for sale. The savory smells of fresh baked pastries and street vendor's wares filled the air. Inside the Hokage tower, these scents were replaced with those of old books and coffee. All six shinobi marched up the stairs single file, and she found herself directly behind Yamato who was leading the bunch. Kakashi was second to last with Sasuke trailing behind. They were all silent except for Naruto, who didn't know the meaning of the word. The enthusiastic blonde didn't seem to mind that he was basically having a conversation with himself because everyone else was to tired to respond to anything he said.

The spiraling staircase held the same amount of stairs it always had, and Sakura could remember all too well running up and down these steps while under the tutelage of the Fifth. It was comforting to see that her home had remained unchanged while she was gone, which was more than she could say about herself.

As they marched down the final hall to Tsunade's office, the door opened and Shizune walked out carrying a stack of papers. When she saw Sakura, her dark eyes grew wide and she dropped her load of documents to the ground. The pink haired shinobi barely had time to murmur a greeting before she was swept up in her friend's arms, the breath practically squeezed out of her as the Hokage's assistant delivered a hug that seemed far stronger than what her slender arms could deliver.

"You're back! You're home! We were so worried about you!" Shizune cried, tears of joy forming as she crushed the smaller woman to her chest.

While Sakura had hoped people would be happy to see her again after so long, she hadn't expected this kind of welcome, especially from Shizune who was normally quite composed.

"We saved her and brought her home!" Naruto said, puffing up his chest with pride.

Sai and Yamato didn't respond while Sasuke rolled his eyes. Kakashi let them have a moment before subtly cleared his throat, causing Shizune to look up from her friend.

"I believe the Hokage is expecting us," the Copy nin said.

"Oh, yes. Yes, of course," she said, looking back to Sakura and seeming reluctant to let her go. Finally she stepped aside and gave a slight bow, gesturing for them to enter the office before she went about gathering up the papers that she had just scattered everywhere.

The group entered, the office seeming much smaller and cramped with six extra bodies. Tsunade was on her feet behind her desk, her honey colored eyes scanning each face in the room but lingering especially long on both Kakashi and her apprentice. While her face was carefully arranged in a neutral expression, her glimmering eyes betrayed her joy and relief that all of her shinobi had returned home safely.

"It's good to see you all back home, even if some of you are a little late," she said, allowing a small smile to form on her lips. "According to the update I received from Yamato, am I correct in my understanding that it was the client himself responsible for the disappearance of the very girls you were sent to find?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Kakashi replied with a nod of his head. "It was actually the kunoichi sent on this mission that he was after. We inadvertently stumbled into a slave trading operation that has been effectively neutralized."

Tsunade nodded slowly, no doubt considering the alternate outcomes this mission could have had and how lucky she was to get everyone back in one piece. "I look forward to reading your mission report Kakashi. I trust you will explain everything then."

She shifted her attention to Yamato, instructing him to do the same in his own report.

"You four," she said, her gaze moving over the secondary team. "Thank you for bringing these two home. You've done an excellent job. You are dismissed."

Three brunette heads nodded and turned to leave, but Naruto had never been one to take orders well.

"Hey Sakura-chan, let's go to Ichiraku when you're done. There's this new ramen there that-"

Yamato grabbed him by the arm and began to drag him firmly towards the door.

"Let Sakura have some time to herself," he said gruffly. "She's probably tired."

"Aw, but Taicho, I haven't seen her in forever and-"

The last thing Sakura glimpsed before the door swung shut was Yamato making his trademark scary face. However, he had needed to use it on Naruto so many times in the past that it had lost its effect. The Kyuubi container's whining continued as he was dragged down the hall.

"Now," Tsunade said, sitting down in her chair and steepling her fingers on top of her wooden desk. "I know you're both very tired so I won't keep you long. I am very glad you are both home but the fact that you were gone so long without so much as a single check-in is intolerable. Kakashi, you should know better."

He nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I'm the one to blame. I intended to have the update sent to you by mail and entrusted the letter to our employer. I didn't know at the time he was the enemy and apparently he never sent it at all."

The blond regarded him for a moment. "I see. Ordinarily this would call for some form of punishment, but in this case you're lack of care ended up saving your ass. If I had received an update, I probably would not have sent a team after you. Consider this your lucky day, Hatake."

Kakashi said nothing.

"Well," Tsunade said with a sigh. "I'm sure most of my questions will be answered in the report. Sakura, since it was you who saw the most action on this mission, I'd like you to write a mission report as well. You have a week to have it on my desk."

The kunoichi, relieved that Tsunade would know only what she decided to disclose, but annoyed that she now had an assignment to do.

"I will give you a full two weeks off before scheduling you at the hospital," the Hokage stated. "And Kakashi, you will have the same amount of time before I begin considering you for missions again."

She exhaled slowly, giving each of them a once over before finally nodding her head in satisfaction. "Despite the mishaps that happened along the way, the two of you did very well. Kakashi, you are dismissed."

The Copy nin bowed politely and thanked the buxom blonde before promptly leaving the office. Sakura hoped that perhaps he would wait for her, but she could sense his chakra signature diminish as he walked farther and farther away. He didn't pause, didn't even slow down as he exited the building. The knowledge was disheartening.

Tsunade's honey-brown eyes turned critical as she examined her student once more. "You look different," she finally said.

"I look like hell," Sakura replied, sounding every bit as tired as she felt.

The Hokage smiled and stepped out from behind her desk and to Sakura's surprise, embraced her tightly. Tsunade wasn't known for being openly affectionate.

"I was very worried about you," the older kunoichi said softly. "Sakura Haruno, if you scare me like that again, I swear that I'll make you regret it."

The pink haired medic smiled at the threat as Tsunade released her from her arms and stepped back to regard her again. "You look different," she repeated, "In the sense that this mission has done something to you. It's changed you. Every now and then an assignment comes along that forces us to change, to cope, to alter ourselves in order to survive. I know I asked a lot of you in this mission and I can see that you've grown. This experience has matured you, made you wiser."

Sakura could only stare wide eyed at her mentor's astute comment. She was afraid to ask just how much Tsunade had gleaned just by looking at her. Had she already guessed that intimate bonds had been made and broken between her former sensei and herself? Could she tell a rape victim when she saw one? Even if she already could guess it, Sakura did not want to retell it in her own words. Saying aloud that she had loved and lost Kakashi would somehow make it more true, would set it in stone where it would become unchangeable. And what if Tsunade didn't know at all? She didn't want to have to explain that Kakashi had taken her virginity.

Sakura remained silent a long moment, unsure of what to say. Tsunade finally broke the silence. "You can always talk to me about anything if you need to, or if you want, one of the councilors that help shinobi deal with post traumatic stress."

Sakura, of course, knew of such procedures. She worked in the very hospital where therapy sessions were held. Telling her story to them was even less appealing than talking to the Fifth. She plastered a smile on her face, hoping it looked at least somewhat genuine. "Thank you, Hokage-sama, but I'm fine. I promise."

Tsunade stared at her hard and for a moment. Sakura thought she was going to protest, but finally the Hokage nodded and gave her a smile. "It's good to have you home. Do yourself a favor and get some rest during your time off."

Sakura promised that she would and thanked the Hokage as she was dismissed. She walked down the hall, down the stairs, and out the door. Kakashi was nowhere to be seen.

The sun was shining and the day was warm, weather that was almost foreign to her now after being surrounded by grey clouds and rain for so long. Her mood didn't match the sunshine. She was achy, exhausted, and above all, heartbroken. It seemed almost unfair that the day be so beautiful when she was feeling so miserable. She took to the rooftops, hoping to avoid people on the streets who might recognize her and want to hear all about why she had been gone for so long. She didn't want to talk to anybody. She just wanted to go home.

Fortunately, her apartment was not far away. She managed to get to her door and slip the key into the lock without meeting anybody she knew. She let herself into her apartment, suddenly surrounded by her familiar belongings. Her house smelled the same, although a bit musty after being closed up for so long. Her furniture was exactly the same. Her kitchen had been untouched. The single mug and dish she had used the day she had left were still sitting on the drying rack, waiting for her return.

It suddenly hit her that there had been a very real danger of her never returning to this place, of never seeing her couch and table and plate and coffee mug. She had been gone for so long and might have never come back, and the man who had saved her, who had captured her heart, could never be anything more than that. Overwhelmed by grief and joy and exhaustion, she let her pack fall to the floor with a thud as she sank to her knees in the middle of the living room. The tears came all at once in a flood she could not control. Sobs wracked her body and sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet of her own home. She cried and cried, unsure if her tears were those of joy for coming home, of sadness for losing Kakashi, or both or neither. Her throat felt tight and her eyes puffy. She could taste the salt of her tears and still they continued to flow. She cried until she felt empty inside, a mere shell, a husk of a person that would blow away in the breeze.

After a time she managed to get to her feet and staggered to the bedroom on wobbly legs. She no longer felt like taking a shower. She no longer felt like being conscious. She was just too overwhelmed and could no longer endure. She peeled back the covers, collapsed into bed and pulled them up over herself. Her last coherent thought was she hoped she could sleep and sleep and never wake up.

XXXXX

Now that Kakashi was finally back in Konoha, he didn't know what to do with himself. He certainly didn't feel like interacting with anybody because they were sure to ask about the mission that kept him away for so long. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't even want to think about it, because that meant reliving the weeks of building lust as he instructed Sakura on her very first lap dance, watched her perform for the first time and offered her a massage that turned into much more. He'd have to remember the euphoria that was unlike any other as he made love to her for the first time, and the second, and the third. He'd have to experience the fear of losing her, the terror of finding her and realizing he might already be too late, and the overwhelming but short lived joy as he got her back, only to realize she would never really be his. The wide spectrum of intense emotions was just too much for him to take. He just wanted to be numb for a while and feel nothing at all.

He left the Hokage tower, hesitating for only a moment as he debated whether or not he should wait for Sakura, but then pushed on, chastising himself for still craving her company. He made his way home and into his apartment. It was just how he had left it, only now everything was covered in a light layer of dust.

He peeled off his clothes and got in the shower, standing under the hot spray until it turned cold. While the warmth eased his muscles and washed the grime from his body, it could not wash away thoughts of Sakura or ease his troubled mind. He got out, toweled off and pulled on a faded pair of black sweat pants. He climbed into bed, intent on spending the rest of the day lazily reading through several Icha Icha novels. A page or two in, he realized his once beloved books had become torture devices. Reading about the act of love inevitably sparked thoughts of Sakura. He couldn't help but long to touch her the way the hero touched his lover in the book. His heart ached at the knowledge that he would never be able to touch Sakura again, that he could never kiss her or hold her or know that for just a moment, he was the center of her universe.

He put down the book and tried to sleep, but his small bed suddenly seemed far too big for just one person. It would be so much cozier with Sakura at his side.

With a groan he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, trying to keep his thoughts free of the pink haired medic, but failing. He proceeded to lay there, minutes stretching to hours, until sleep finally claimed him. Even then he could not escape, because his dreams were haunted by her beautiful green eyes.

XXXXX

Sakura awoke and gave a lazy stretch, wincing as sore muscles ached and joints popped. Her eyes fluttered open and took in a room full of sunlight, a room full of familiar belongings, her belongings. She was back in Konoha. Back home. She should have been happy, but instead she could only feel a sense of loneliness. There were no quiet breaths or snores coming from the next bunk over as Misaki and Miyabi slept peacefully. There would no longer be breakfasts filled with laughter as all of the girls tried to squeeze onto uncomfortable wooden benches to share both food and friendship. She already missed her Fuzen Machi friends terribly and wondered what they were up to now that Wet Dreams was permanently shut down.

The medic tugged the covers over her head and groaned, noting that a bird was trilling merrily outside her window. The little ball of feathers had no business being so happy on a day like today, not when she was feeling so miserable. She missed her friends and she missed Kakashi. What made it even worse was that he was right here in the same town. He was a short walk away and yet he might as well be living on the moon because she doubted she would ever get to see much of him ever again, She certainly wouldn't get to feel his strong arms around her or listen to the steady beat of his heart. Their partnership was over and she had to move on just like he had. She just wished she didn't have to endure a shattered heart to do it.

She tried to go back to sleep, but the little bird's solo was soon a quartet as his friends joined in the song. With a grumble, Sakura peeled back the covers and glanced at her clock. It was 10:43. She hadn't even managed to sleep twenty-four hours, let alone a week. All she wanted to do was lay in bed and pretend the world outside didn't exist, but she knew that was impractical. Besides, she had a mission report to work on and if Tsunade received it late, Sakura might find herself faced with something far more painful than the pangs of loneliness.

She tried to muster enthusiasm to greet the day, but only succeeded in kicking the covers off the bed, getting on her feet, and staggering down the hall in a gait that would have put the undead to shame. She made it to the bathroom and tried to avoid looking at herself in the mirror, knowing her haggard, bed-headed reflection would only depress her more. She cranked on the water in the shower and heard the old piped in the wall groan, but not a drop of water came out. Apparently her landlord had been thoughtful enough to turn off the water since she had been away so long.

Sakura's head came to rest against the cold tile wall with a heavy thunk. It appeared the world was against her today. The last thing she wanted to do was go out into public, especially since her hair looked like it had been styled with a blender and her under eye circles probably resembled those of a raccoon. But the allure of a hot soak at the public baths was too tempting. In a few moments, she had tamed her hair as best as she could with a hair tie, pulled on some clean clothes and grabbed her towel, shampoo and comb. As she locked the door to her apartment and walked down the street, her only wish was that she didn't run into anyone she knew.

XXXXX

A blissful sigh escaped her as hot water lapped at alabaster skin. She reclined against the warm rocks and enjoyed the rays of the sun on her face. She had forgotten how wonderful the sunshine could be after living under a constant blanket of rainclouds and smog. The outdoor bath was deserted and she relished the privacy, allowing her body to respond and relax in the natural hot spring.

She was determined not to think about Kakashi, but she found that the more she told herself not to think about him, the more she inadvertently thought of him. She told herself not to think of his soft lips, but then remembered the kisses he would press to the back of her neck. She didn't want to think about his strong arms, but then recalled what it was like to be held by him. And she especially refused to think about the way he made love to her, but she could swear she could still feel the lingering caresses of his fingertips.

With a growl of frustration, Sakura made a fist and punched at the water like a little child throwing a tantrum. Damn Kakashi and his kissable lips and muscular arms! It was so miserably unfair that she couldn't just forget about him and move on. She was in love and she hated it! If she had learned anything from this experience, it was that love was the worst thing that could happen to a girl and it should be avoided at all costs, especially when it involved a sensei who read perverted books and refused to be on time to anything.

"Forehead? Is that you? Why are you splashing around in the hot spring?"

A loud, abrasive and unmistakable voice cut through the air. Sakura knew she should feel bad about dreading seeing someone who was supposed to be her best friend, but right now she really didn't want to deal with Ino. Unfortunately, it was too late to run since the blond had already spotted her and was currently shedding her towel and stepping down into the steaming water right next to her.

"I had heard you got home yesterday. You were gone for such a long time! What happened there? I heard there were complications," she said, turquoise eyes sparkling with curiosity.

The last thing Sakura wanted to talk about was her latest mission, especially to the village's top gossip who would no doubt grill her for all the juicy details. Fortunately, she had the perfect excuse that nearly every shinobi had at their disposal.

"Sorry, Ino. I can't talk about it. It's confidential."

In reality, Sakura was pretty sure it wasn't, but Ino didn't have to know that. One thing was for sure: some of the more intimate details of the mission were going to stay top secret. From everyone. Even Tsunade.

"Oh come on. Please?" Ino whined, her lower lip sticking out in a perfectly practiced pout. The pink haired medic was almost positive that her friend had spent many hours perfecting that wounded look in the mirror. It was now her secret weapon for getting anything she wanted from almost any hot blooded male. Unfortunately for her, it was not going to work on Sakura.

"Nope. I really can't say anything," Sakura lied, trying not to let Ino's grating voice get to her. It was sad really. She had been away for months and she should be overjoyed to see her childhood friend, especially now that she was feeling so lonely. But the blonde's insistent prodding only made Sakura withdraw further.

"Well, at least tell me what it was like working with your old sensei," Ino continued, expressing turning devilish. "I heard you were working undercover as a stripper and that Kakashi actually watched you every night! I don't know whether that's hot or just plain creepy."

Sakura winced as if her words had been a physical blow. Just when something had come along to distract her, the topic was brought up again. It seemed she would never escape Kakashi Hatake, even when he was nowhere in sight.

When Sakura didn't respond, Ino's hopeful expression once again turned to a pout. "Come on, Forehead! At least tell me that much! Did he act like an old pervert, ogling you like he does his books, or was is actually kind of sexy? You know, if Asuma-sensei watched me get naked every night, I think I would-"

Sakura abruptly got to her feet, nearly slipping on the rock as she climbed out of the open air bath with a little less grace than usual. She didn't want to hear about what Ino would do with Asuma-sensei. That was just gross. And she really didn't want to talk about her mission. And she really really didn't want to think about what it had been like undressing in front of her former teacher...both on and off stage.

She mumbled something about being late for some appointment as she snatched up her towel and clothes and made a beeline for the changing room. She could hear Ino calling after her, asking when they were going to hang out and catch up. Sakura replied saying she would contact her later, but at the moment, all Sakura wanted to do was retreat back to her apartment and get away from the noisy, nosey blonde before the gossip somehow figured out Kakashi had been a whole lot more than just her mission partner.

XXXXX

The Copy nin was awake long before the sun rose. He had been awakened by nightmare of Sakura slipping through his fingers. He reached for her as she disappeared into the blackness but he failed to catch her. He tried to go back to sleep but his mind was too full of thoughts of his former student to relax, so he laid awake until his room was flooded with the blue gray light of morning. He was exhausted, but could not sleep, instead passing the time staring at the ceiling and hoping sleep would claim him.

If he let his eyes go out of focus, the bumps and ridges in the textured ceiling melded to form shapes and objects. It was a game he sometimes played when he couldn't sleep, and he would let his imagination take over as tiny patches of light and shadow became animals and people and whatever else he could dream up. However, the game only served to torture him more, because all he could see was Sakura. He saw her face, her eyes, Sakura standing, Sakura crouching, Sakura laughing. He saw the naked curve of her hip, her breasts, flowing strands of her long pink hair. Even when Kakashi shut his eyes tight, the visions remained. She was burned on the back of her eyelids, vibrant and beautiful.

Rather than stay in his apartment and slowly drive himself mad, Kakashi dressed and slipped out onto the street. The village was starting to wake up and there were a few people out and about, but Kakashi paid them no mind as he headed straight past the residential areas and through the main gates towards the training grounds.

His intention wasn't to train or to practice, but to have a long talk with someone he hadn't seen in quite some time. He missed his friend dearly and had longed to talk to him while he was away on the mission. After all that had happened, he had a lot to talk about.

Rather than continue on into the open areas with practice dummies, he went to the right where the foliage was thicker. In a small clearing, was Konoha's memorial for all those who had died in the line of duty. Over the years, Kakashi had watched more and more names be carved into the giant pillar of stone, but there was one name in particular that weighed heavier on his heart than any of the others. It was the name that kept him visiting this place everyday, even if he had somewhere else to be. Calloused fingertips brushed over the name engraved in the smooth marble: Uchiha Obito. Even after all these years, Kakashi could still picture his friend's youthful face and mischievous grin.

"It's been a while, old friend," he said, feeling the guilt bloom in his heart at the thought that Obito in fact never had the chance to grow old. Or to kiss a girl. Or to fall in love. Losing his friend was one of his biggest regrets and seldom a day went by where Kakashi didn't come to pay his respects. But today, he had more to say than a simple hello. "Obito, I wish you were here," he sighed. "I need your advice. I've gone and made such an awful mess of things."

XXXXX

Sasuke had just finished his daily drills and justu practice and was on his way back to the village when he sensed another chakra signature, one he recognized. He was about to approach his sensei and ask if he wanted to spar, but when Kakashi turned away from the training grounds and into the forest, it was clear he wasn't here to train. Curious as to what the Copy nin was up to, Sasuke hid his presence and followed him at a distance, making sure his own chakra signature was masked.

He knew that Kakashi was not only skilled at tracking people by their chakra, but that he had an extremely sensitive nose as well. He made sure to stay downwind of the Jounin and out of sight. He found a hiding place behind a wall of foliage where he could peek through the leaves and observe the silver haired man. When he saw he was simply standing in front of the monument, Sasuke prepared to leave, but then his teacher spoke and arrested his attention. He sounded weary, tormented. Sasuke Uchiha was usually not one to snoop, but Kakashi was a very private man, and a glimpse into his personal life was somehow too tempting to resist.

XXXXX

Kakashi took a deep breath wondering where he should even begin. He felt like he had to confide in somebody before he collapsed under the crushing weight of so many turbulent emotions. He knew Obito was dead and gone, but he still remained his closest friend in the world. And sometimes, in the silent pauses of their one-sided conversations he could swear that he could still feel the young boy's presence. He hoped Obito was near somehow, still with Kakashi in spirit, and listening to what he had to say.

"I've been gone on a mission a long time," Kakashi began. "I was with a former student of mine. I'm sure I've told you about her before. She's the one who always had a crush on my other student. She used to be a bit of a crybaby and was always trailing behind the others. I feel that maybe I didn't give her the attention she deserved when I was her teacher."

He couldn't help but smile at the thought of Team Seven when they were younger. They had been such a handful. Always fighting, but so full of talent and hope and promise. He just wished he had seen Sakura's potential sooner.

"I didn't have much hope for her then," he continued as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "But Obito, you should see the way she shines. She's grown and blossomed. She's a hell of a shinobi and one of the best medics around. If Rin had gotten the chance to grow up, they might have been similar."

Kakashi took another deep breath as a fresh wave of guilt washed over him at the though of the third member of his first team, another life he couldn't save. But now was not the time to dwell on Rin. He had already had countless conversations with Obito here at the monument where he poured out his regrets at losing her as well. Now, there was another woman in his life causing him anguish.

"The thing is, she's no longer a little girl. She's a woman...a damned beautiful woman, and I never noticed it until now. This mission put her in a new light and one thing led to another. Obito...I slept with her, and I was her first. I had no right to take that away from her but I did. Kami help me, every time I was with her, it was the best sex I ever had. But it's not about the sex. It's about her. How perfect she is and how in those moments I feel like I have something to live for again. Obito, I...I love her. I didn't think I was even capable of love anymore but I do...I do, so much."

Kakashi's heart clenched as the vision of her smiling face filled his mind. He honestly didn't know whether to consider his time with Sakura a blessing or a curse. He had been able to spend a few precious months with her where he was reminded what it was like not just to exist, but to truly live. However, now that she was gone, the world was darker than it had ever been, and though she lived in the same village, she would never be his, and the thought ate away at him.

This was the first time he had confessed his love for her out loud, and saying it somehow made it more real, confirmed it. It was no longer possible to deny his feelings. He just wished Obito could respond with an answer, some helpful insight on what to do next. But Kakashi already knew what he had to do, though his heart felt heavy at the mere thought of it.

"I love her, but she doesn't feel the same. I can't tell her how I feel and burden her like that. It's better that she doesn't know, that nobody knows. It's going to kill me inside, keeping it to myself every time I see her, but it's better this way. That's the price an old man like me has to pay for falling for a student. I really thought I was smarter than this."

He sighed again, lifting a hand to brush over the engraved kanji that spelt out his friend's name. "Sometimes I feel like you're the lucky one, Obito. You never had to deal with heartbreak like this. I'm sure life gets a lot easier when you're no longer living it."

He let his hand drop and regarded the monument for a few silent moments. He was hoping talking it over with his friend would ease the hurt, even a little, but his heart still ached with a pain he'd never known.

After another long moment, he put his hand back in his pocket as he spoke. "Thanks for listening, friend. I'll let you know how it all turns out, although I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to that."

Kakashi turned away and walked back the way he had come. His bad posture was worse than usual, as if he was trudging back to the village with the entire weight of the world upon him.

XXXXX

Sasuke remained hidden for several minutes after Kakashi had disappeared from view. Once he was sure he wouldn't be detected, he stopped repressing his chakra and let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

When he had followed Kakashi, he wasn't sure what he was going to discover, but his gut had told him that his sensei would do something interesting since he thought he was all alone. Maybe the Uchiha had been hoping for a peek at what was beneath that infernal mask. Whatever it was, he certainly hadn't expected Kakashi to confess his love for his former student.

Sasuke had seen proof of Sakura's feelings for the Jounin in her behavior and he suspected Kakashi cared for her as well. He hadn't expected such profound feelings from a man that was usually so calm, but Kakashi had made it clear how much he loved Sakura and how much it was eating away at him. His love interest couldn't possibly know how he felt or she would have acted upon her own feelings, knowing they were reciprocated. If she ever found out that Kakashi was madly in love with her, she would no doubt make a move.

The knowledge spurred a new sense of urgency into Sasuke's pursuit of the girl he had spent his entire childhood trying to ignore. Sakura had always been available, waiting for him, hanging on his every word, and now she loved someone else. For some reason, Sasuke was quite bothered by that knowledge, especially now that the kunoichi had blossomed. She was sexy, but she was also a mystery, a puzzle he wanted to solve. It had been easy to dissect her younger self, to see what made her tick. She was weak of both body and mind, a poor excuse for a shinobi. But now she was not only an exceptional medic, but was strong, smart and alluring.

Visions of her spiraling down the silvery pole as she danced filled his mind. He wanted to lock her up in his bedroom and have her give him a private show. He wanted to put all that flexibility and stamina of hers to good use. The urge was even stronger now that he knew Kakashi has sampled the forbidden fruit on several occasions and deemed it the best he had ever experienced.

He had to make Sakura his before she realized a future with Kakashi was possible. The more he thought about the desirable creature she had become, the more he wanted her in his bed. He was fairly certain she would fall back in love with him again. How could she not after chasing him all those years? She would then become the key to the rebuilding of his clan. He had no doubt her offspring would be powerful just like her, especially if they shared her talent of chakra control.

Kakashi had said he would keep his feelings to himself, but Sasuke didn't want to take any chances. He had to claim his prize and he had to do it soon. He would not let Kakashi steal her away.

XXXXX

Sakura finished the last sentence of her twenty-seven page mission report before settling back in her chair with a groan. She hated writing these stupid things. It was a big reason she never asked to be in charge on the few missions she still went on. Having to write a medic report was bad enough. Hell, she didn't even like filling out patient's charts at the hospital.

She would return to work tomorrow, despite Tsunade's advice to take more time off. The pink haired kunoichi figured it would be better to bury herself in her work rather than drift around the house and slowly go insane.

It had been a week since she had returned from her mission but adjusting to normal life had not gotten any easier, mostly because it was a life without Kakashi. She had only seen him twice since her return: once through the window of the village bookstore and once at the training grounds. They had arranged to meet there, pretending they were going to spar when really it was so they could get their stories straight for the mission reports. They had agreed they would leave out the numerous times when they had sex but include his erotic lesson at the inn as well as a more toned down version of her practice lap dance at the club.

Though she didn't want to, Sakura knew she would have to include her encounter with Koudo and explain the rape in detail. Reliving it to write it down would be difficult and it would no doubt send Tsunade into a whirlwind of anger and worry, especially since Sakura hadn't admitted it upon first returning. Counseling would be ordered and months of needless therapy would follow, especially since the Hokage would assume that the enemy stole her virginity.

The experience had left its mark. She had awoken three times this week drenched in a cold sweat as vivid nightmares robbed her of sleep. She could still feel Koudo's touch, still see his piercing yellow eyes. In her dreams he was holding her down, violating her, and despite all her kunoichi strength and training, there was nothing she could do. Sometimes physical touch frightened her, like when Naruto trapped her in one of his suffocating hugs. She had to fight the urge to push him away and run. However, thanks to Kakashi, she knew that sex could be wonderful, that desire and passion could be felt of your own free will. She knew what it was like to have someone worship her body and concentrate on gently giving her everything she needed until she reached an earth shattering release. She should thank him for that, because it was what kept her from swearing off sex altogether.

However, when she met with Kakashi for a brief time at the training grounds, he seemed in a rush to leave. He would hardly even look at her, as if there was somewhere else he desperately wanted to be. She miserably thought to herself that he was probably anxious to go read his little orange book somewhere since his written porn was obviously better than anything she could provide. They had hurriedly talked out the details of their reports before he had made the hand signs for a teleportation jutsu and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sakura had tearfully returned to her home, angry at herself for allowing high hopes and schoolgirl giddiness at the prospect of seeing Kakashi again. He clearly wasn't interested. What was it going to take to get that fact through her head?

She really didn't feel like talking to anyone. She wanted to stay curled up into a corner where she could cry and blubber to her hearts content, but she had been doing that since she had returned home and it was starting to get old. So when Naruto showed up at her door to invite her to dinner with Sasuke and Sai, she pushed away her initial inclination to decline and agreed to meet them at the restaurant in a few hours.

XXXXX

She arrived at Yakiniku Q to find it packed by the dinner crowd. Fortunately, the rest of her former team had already arrived and had been seated at one of the booths. Sai and Naruto were on one side, so she took the empty seat next to Sasuke.

Naruto immediately started chatting away while Sai smiled politely. Sakura spoke only when spoken to and Sasuke didn't say much at all, but she supposed that was normal. She was thankful that the blonde didn't bring up her recent mission at all, preferring instead to fill her in on all the shenanigans that had happened during her absence, and since the Kyuubi vessel was prone to mischief, he had a long list of stories to tell.

Somewhere in between his rambling, a waitress brought them tea and took their order. Sakura had been so distracted by thoughts of Kakashi that she hadn't even looked over the menu, even though she had been staring at it. She picked something at random and settled back in her chair, feeling bad for not being mentally present with her friends, but was unable to make herself focus.

"Hello? Sakura?" Naruto said, a puzzled frown clouding his normally sunny features. She realized he had asked her a question and was expected a response. Unfortunately she hadn't heard a word he'd said for the past five minutes.

"Huh? What were we talking about?" she replied, a blush staining her cheeks as she was forced to reveal how inattentive she was being.

"Sakura-chan, you've been acting weird," Naruto said, eyebrows furrowed with concern. "Ever since you got back from your last mission you've been really..."

He paused, trying to think of the right word.

"Spacey?" Sai supplied helpfully.

"Yeah! You've been spacey. What's up with you?"

Sakura realized all eyes at the table were fixed intently on her. She swallowed hard. To tell them the truth would mean telling them about her affair with Kakashi. That was simply not an option so she opted for a half truth, something that was true, but it was not the whole story.

"I'm sorry guys," she sighed dejectedly. "It's just that I miss all the girls from the club. We became such good friends while I was there and it's weird not seeing them everyday now. I just hope that they're doing ok."

That much was certainly true. Sakura missed them more than she could say. She had even written them a letter inquiring what they were up to now that the club was closed. She had mailed it yesterday and was hoping to hear back from them soon, but knew that snail mail could take at least a week to reach Fuzen Machi.

However, it wasn't her lack of female companionship that kept her holed up in her apartment, that made her heart heavy and her insides hollow. It was a certain silver headed, porn reading, unpunctual man. Fortunately, her team seemed to accept her explanation. Naruto offered sympathy and encouragement, Sai nodded as he struggled to understand her confusing emotional state, and Sasuke placed his hand on her thigh under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze. If it was meant to be a comforting gesture, it failed because Sakura found it not only strangely out of character for the Uchiha, but slightly invasive as well. His touch lingered a moment but when her rigid her posture did not relax, he removed his hand.

Moments later their food arrived, drawing attention away from Sakura's unusual behavior. Naruto immediately began piling pieces of raw beef and chicken on the small grill in the center of the table before once more beginning to chat endlessly about what had happened in Konoha while she was away. Sakura did her best to listen to how Naruto and Konohamaru rescued a cat from a tree but suffered significant cat-related injuries, and how Kiba had to practically tackle Akamaru when the same cat ran by and the overgrown dog gave chase. She faked a smile but feared it was no more convincing than the one Sai usually wore.

When the meat was cooked through, it was plucked from the grill with chopsticks. Sakura found herself poking half-heartedly at the food on her plate. She didn't have much of an appetite despite the meat's enticing aroma, but she forced herself to eat a piece rather than attract more unwanted attention to herself by not eating.

"Isn't this good?" Naruto exclaimed though a mouth full of food. "Although, it's not as good as ramen, which is what we should have had to eat." He fixed his disapproving blue gaze on Sasuke who had apparently vetoed eating at Ichiraku for the fourth time that week.

Sasuke shrugged, apparently uninterested in getting into a heated discussion with the blonde and continued to eat.

While Naruto went on and on about why ramen was superior to all other foods in the universe, Sakura found herself once more losing her focus. Her eyes drifted aimlessly over the other restaurant patrons as her mind turned again to thoughts of Kakashi. She had seen him only a few days prior, but it felt like ages, and the time they spent together in Fuzen Machi seemed lifetimes away. Yet she could remember perfectly the woodsy, earthy scent that always surrounded him, the feel of his thick, silver hair against her fingertips, the low rasp of his voice as he intimately whispered her name.

Her eyes fell on a man sitting at a booth across the restaurant. His back was to her and she couldn't see his face, but it was easy to imagine that the tall, sinewy body type in fact belonged to Kakashi. She could even see the wild shock of untamable hair and bad posture. It appeared her brain was so full of her former sensei that she was now seeing things.

There were two men sitting with him, their faces visible from where Sakura was sitting. To her surprise, she found that she recognized both of them as Genma Shiranui and Yamato. It didn't take long for reasoning to kick in after that. if Genma and Yamato were sitting at the table, that meant the tall, slender man sitting across from them really did have silver hair. He didn't simply look like Kakashi. He was Kakashi. She was sitting in the very same restaurant as the man who had managed to make her feel both wonderful and utterly miserable.

What little appetite she had disappeared completely as her stomach was suddenly filled with butterflies. How could he not know what he did to her? He was so calm, so oblivious, and here she was falling apart. She wished she had never noticed him sitting there so she could at least get through her meal. There was no way she could pretend to act normal now. She would be staring at him wistfully, her heart breaking as she realized that staring at him from afar like this was all she was ever going to do. Even someone like Naruto would be able to put two and two together at that point. She had to get out of here before anybody noticed she was gawking at her former sensei like a lovesick puppy.

"Sorry, but I'm not feeling very well," she mumbled, standing abruptly and digging in her pocket for a few bills that would cover her share of the meal. "I'm going to go home."

"But Sakura, you just got here," Naruto said with concern. "Are you ok?"

"I think I'm coming down with something," she replied hastily. "I should go home and rest."

As she edged out of the booth and turned to leave, Sasuke stood as well.

"I'll walk you home," he said, pulling out money for the bill as well.

Sai and Naruto looked at him quizzically as Sakura declined his offer.

"Sasuke, you've barely eaten anything. I'll be fine since my apartment isn't that far away. You should stay here."

"I'm walking you home," Sasuke repeated in a tone that left little room for argument.

The kunoichi huffed in annoyance at his stubbornness. "Fine," she said irritably before stomping out of the restaurant, being careful not to so much as glance in Kakashi's direction.

"Sakura, don't go!" Naruto called, hoping to get his friends to stay, but she didn't even turn around and Sasuke followed her out of the building and onto the street.

XXXXX

Sakura's goal was to walk home as fast as possible where she could take a hot shower and go to bed. Sasuke fell into step beside her and said nothing about her unnaturally fast pace. In fact, he didn't say anything at all as they walked.

It was still early enough in the evening that the main streets were bustling and noisy. Sakura waited until they turned onto a quieter and less crowded street before speaking.

"Why did you come with me? You've never bothered to walk me home before."

"I wanted to make sure you got home ok," he replied simply.

"You know I would have gotten home fine without you," Sakura shot back, taking out some of her frustrations on the stoic, black haired man.

Sasuke was quiet a moment, letting the sound of their footsteps fill the silence.

"Maybe I just wanted to spend some more time with you," he said.

His answer was so surprising that Sakura stopped in her tracks and stared at him hard.

"Spend time with me?" she said incredulously. "When we were younger you did your best to spend as little time with me as possible. In fact, I've spent most of my life trying to get you to spend time with me and you wanted nothing to do with me."

Sasuke shrugged, knowing her statement was undeniably true. "People change," he said softly. He met glistening green eyes with his own darker ones before adding, "You've changed."

Sakura definitely could not argue with that. This past mission had changed her more than she could have ever dreamed. The fact that she wasn't delirious with excitement because Sasuke was walking her home was proof of that. A few months ago she would have given her left arm for the Uchiha to say he wanted to spent time with her. Now the knowledge did little to ease the void in her heart. She had gone from being fixated on one unattainable man to another, but Kakashi had already given her so much more than Sasuke ever had.

However, she couldn't understand why Sasuke would suddenly be so interested in her. The fact that he wanted to spend time with her was perplexing and Sakura didn't feel like standing around in the darkening night trying to figure it out. She just wanted to go home and go to bed.

She turned on her heel and began walking again without giving Sasuke a response. Her lack of interest in his words seemed to surprise him because there was a pause before his footsteps resumed behind her.

They emerged from the small street squeezed between the sides of tall buildings out into the open. Ahead of them was one of the many bridges that crossed the river that flowed through Konoha. All the color had bled from the sky, leaving it inky black. Stars shimmered in the darkness. Sakura had missed seeing stars at night. They weren't visible through the cloudy gloom in Fuzen Machi.

"You don't have to go home yet," Sasuke suddenly said as their footsteps turned hollow as they stepped onto the bridge. "You could come over and talk about whatever it is that's bothering you."

Sakura had known Sasuke practically her whole life and never once had he invited her to the Uchiha compound. Her instincts told her that this was more than one friend trying to cheer up another. She got the feeling that he wanted her to spend the night, to share his bed. This is what she had spent countless nights dreaming about. Now all she could picture was how it had felt laying next to Kakashi and how she'd never get to experience that again.

"What is your deal?" she hissed, turning around and fixing angry green eyes on him. "Why the sudden interest in me? You've had over a decade where you could have had me at any time and now that I'm no longer interested, you won't leave me alone. Why? Is it because you saw me dance on a pole and suddenly I'm worthy of your attention? Is it because I wear a little makeup now and know how to curl my hair? What is it Sasuke? Because you sure as hell weren't interested in me before I left."

His dark eyes widened at her outburst. He had seen her lose her temper with Sai and Naruto countless times but it was rare when she turned her wrath on him. However, in all that she said, one thing stood out that might flaw his otherwise perfect plan.

"You're...you're no longer interested?" he asked in surprise, hardly able to believe that after all her years of pining, she no longer had the slightest romantic interest in him.

Sakura took a deep breath, keeping her gaze steady. "No, Sasuke. I'm not. I don't have room in my heart for you anymore."

He could hardly believe what he was hearing. Here was the girl who had offered to betray her own village just to be near him. She had chased him endlessly to the point where he thought he would never be rid of her. Now that she had matured, had turned into this mysterious, alluring, sexy woman, she didn't want him anymore. She wanted someone older, someone who was unknowingly within her reach. His only chance was that she never know Kakashi in fact felt the same.

"Why him?" he asked in frustration. "Kakashi is too old for you and doesn't return your feelings. Whatever happened between you two on the mission is over."

Now it was Sakura's turn to be surprised. Her mouth dropped open as she gasped, "you knew?"

"Of course I knew. I'd have to blind not to see the way you were always looking at him. It's the way you always looked at me. It took me a while to see it Sakura but you're just what I need. We could rebuild my clan together. You don't have a future with Kakashi, but I'm offering you one with me."

Sakura could only stare at him blankly as her mind scrambled to process all he was saying. He had known this whole time that she cared for Kakashi even though she had tried to be discreet. She didn't know how he knew Kakashi didn't feel the same, but if he had read her own emotions so easily, maybe he had read his as well. What Sasuke was offering her now had been her childhood dream, a happily ever after with the love of her life. But it was ironic and almost cruel how her dream had changed and the love of her life was no longer the man standing before her. She had come to see that Sasuke was no Prince Charming. He had betrayed the village, betrayed his friends. He hurt the ones who cared about him in his own selfish quest for vengeance. While Sakura had forgiven him, she would never forget what he had done and would always wonder where his loyalties truly were.

She didn't think she could be with another man now without thinking about Kakashi, how the way he had touched her had been so perfect, how he had made her feel beautiful. It wasn't fair to either Sasuke or herself to settle when she would always long for another. She wouldn't be able to forget about the Copy nin, not when he lived in the very same village.

"Sasuke, it's too late," she said. "I don't want to be with you anymore. I can't, not after him."

"But you can forget about him," Sasuke assured, frustration creeping into his voice as he realized it might not be as easy as he thought it would be to attain what he desired. "I can make you forget. Just give me a night. He can't offer you anything more, but I can Sakura. I'm the better choice."

The way Sasuke seemed to break down her future into a simple academic choice made something inside her snap. It wasn't about who could best improve her social status or who's genes would produce the best offspring. How could she make this a simple decision of the mind when so much of it had to do with her heart? Sasuke was trying to manipulate her, and she wondered how much of it was for his own personal gain. She didn't think the Uchiha loved her now and she didn't think he ever would and it angered her that a relationship and eventual marriage was more of a business deal to him than a love affair.

"I could never forget about him," she snapped. "I love him. Even if he doesn't love me back, I will keep on loving him because I have no choice! It's going to hurt like hell seeing him around the village, knowing he doesn't feel the same, but I'm not going to lie to myself, Sasuke. I don't love you anymore and I don't want anything from you."

She watched as his eyes widened, dark eyes full of surprise and something else. Defeat? Disappointment? She thought it was because of her harsh words and felt a flash of triumph as she finally nailed shut the coffin containing her irrational childhood feelings. But then she felt a familiar presence behind her and thoughts of her victory were immediately wiped from her mind as she slowly turned around.

XXXXX

Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. This was the girl who would have done anything for him and now that he was offering her what she had always wanted, she was turning him down without a second thought.

She used to be so predictable, so easy to manipulate. Where had this strong, confident woman come from? He ordinarily would have considered this a challenge, a battle to fight, a prize to win, but he did not want to bide his time. He wanted her. Tonight. The sooner he claimed her, the sooner he could satiate his lust. He also would no longer have to worry about Kakashi. Once the Copy nin heard that she had run back into her crush's arms, he would accept defeat easily.

But Sakura seemed inconvincible. She said she didn't want him now, or ever, a powerful statement coming from one who used to spend every waking hour pining for him. She poured out her love for her former sensei with surprising passion and conviction. He could only gawk at this woman who had become a perfect stranger to him, who had changed in ways he'd probably never understand.

And just as her rant ended, a figure flickered into existence behind her. Sasuke's heart sank as he realized the man standing behind her had heard it all and had used a teleportation jutsu to come to her. In Sasuke's conquest, he had managed to make Sakura confess how she felt. Neither of them had known the object of her affection had been in earshot. The Uchiha had inadvertently brought them together, not pushed them apart as he had planned. The surprised look on the silver haired man's face, the glimmer of hope he saw in those dark eyes proved that he was going to confront her, and there was nothing Sasuke could do. He had lost.

XXXXX

Sakura turned, knowing who she would find behind her, but unable to believe it. He was here.

His mask was in place but she could still see the intensity in his single eye, as he met her gaze.

"K-Kakashi," she stammered, knowing he had heard everything she had said. He knew now that she was madly, foolishly in love with him. Would he chastise her for becoming emotionally involved when it was only supposed to be physical, a simple training exercise that had gone too far? Would things become awkward and more estranged than they already were? Her heart banged against her ribcage as she waited for what seemed like an eternity for him to speak.

"Did you mean what you said? Do you really love me?" he whispered, his voice raspy, full of breathless disbelief.

Sakura couldn't lie to him anymore than she could lie to Sasuke or herself. She told him the truth.

"I love you more than I have ever loved anything or anyone," she replied softly, her green eyes searching his. "And I don't care if you hate me for it. I can't stop, Kakashi. I'll never stop."

A beat of silence passed. Everything in the world seemed to hold its breath, the crickets, the merry people just a few blocks away, even the whispering wind went completely still.

"Good," Kakashi said. "Because I'm never letting you go."

In one fluid motion, he jerked down his mask, took her into his arms and crushed his lips to hers. In a kneejerk reaction she pushed away, thoughts haunted by a yellow eyed man who had done the same thing to her. Kakashi looked at her, uncovered face full of hurt and confusion and Sakura longed for a chance to kill Koudo herself for scarring her so deeply.

"I'm sorry!" she blurted, rushing to amend her actions. "It's just that I still...sometimes I remember how he touched me..."

Understanding dawned on the Copy nin's face as he realized how grabbing her so suddenly could have traumatized her. He wordlessly held out his hand and let her come to him, encircling her gently in his arms and kissing her lips with a touch that was feather light.

Sakura responded, taking the lead and deepening the kiss, clinging to him with a sort of desperation as if she were afraid he might disappear at any moment.

Neither of them noticed when Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets and stalked away, all his plans of sharing his bed with the kunoichi now nothing more than dust. It wasn't often that the Uchiha lost, and he would sulk over this defeat for some time.

None of that mattered to the couple on the bridge. They were aware of only each other, elated that the one they thought was out of reach was now in his and her grasp. Kakashi brought a hand up to cup Sakura's jaw and found her skin damp. When his lips left hers and he pulled away, he saw that tears had cut glimmering tracks down her face.

"Don't cry," he whispered, wiping the moisture away with his thumb. "I'm here now, you don't have to cry."

Sakura sniffled softly, unable to stop the transformation back into her old crybaby self.

"How did you know to follow me? I thought you were eating dinner with your friends."

"I was," he replied. "But then I heard Naruto call your name and I looked up just in time to see you leave. Sasuke was following you and...well...I didn't like the way he was looking at you. It was just a hunch, but I followed the two of you. I guess it's a good thing I did."

A smile graced Sakura's lips. "You didn't like the way he was looking at me?" she teased. "What are you, my father?"

"No," Kakashi replied quickly, giving her a sheepish smile of his own. "It's just that...I didn't want to share you, even though you weren't even mine."

Sakura reached up to thread her fingers through wiry strands of silver, tugging him back down to her level.

"I've been yours ever since that first night you taught me how to dance," she said softly, before initiating another kiss. It was long and tender, and when they parted, Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle.

"I guess that makes both of us fools for hiding how we really feel. I might have gone my whole life without knowing the girl of my dreams felt the same way."

He gave her a rare smile that made her knees weak and her stomach flutter. The nervous butterflies in her stomach became increasingly restless as he whispered in her ear, "Stay with me tonight. I don't want to be alone."

She should have agreed without hesitation, but she could only guess what would happen in his apartment once they got there. She wanted nothing more than to be with Kakashi in every sense of the word, but the memories of Koudo's assault were still fresh in her mind and she wasn't sure if she was ready for another to touch her, even if it was Kakashi. She averted her eyes, ashamed to have to bare her physiological scars.

"I...I don't know if I'm ready for anything physical," she replied reluctantly. "I don't know when I'll be ready, and if that means you'd rather not be with me, I understand because-"

She was abruptly silenced by a finger pressed to her lips.

"Sakura, if you think I'd walk away from you because you don't want to have sex, then you really are a fool."

He tilted her chin up and Sakura found his uncovered eye warm and sincere.

"I'll wait as long as it takes for you to feel comfortable with physical touch again, and if that day never comes, so be it. I'd rather have you in my arms than not have you at all. That being said, will you let me at least hold you tonight?"

Sakura had to blink back the joyful tears that threatened to fall. Nothing could have reassured her more than the very words Kakashi had spoken. He didn't want her for the sex, and while that was a wonderful way of showing his love for her, he chose to be with her even if she wouldn't be able to give him physical pleasure.

"Of course," she replied, allowing him to weave her fingers with his. She couldn't help but notice how each digit seemed to fill the spaces between his perfectly. All her fear and trepidation seemed to leave her at once, leaving her bubbling with joy, relief and sheer amazement that her fairy tale was coming true.

The fell into step, side by side as Kakashi led her back to his apartment.

"It's like a Happily Ever After," Sakura said, more to herself than to her former sensei.

Kakashi gave another chuckle as he tugged his mask back into place with his free hand.

"Yes it is, except that this isn't the end of the story. People will talk about us you know. The fact that I'm dating my former student who is practically half my age is going to cause quite a stir."

"Let them talk," Sakura replied, shooting him a look full of fire and defiance that epitomized her strong will and fighting spirit. In that moment, Kakashi couldn't help but love her even more. "There have been bigger scandals than this in Konoha and if people don't like seeing us together than too bad. I'm not a child and I've made my choice. I'm going to be with you no matter what people say."

She gave a definitive nod as if to say there would be no further argument on the matter and Kakashi smiled under his mask at her stubbornness. He had no doubt that this attitude would allow her to ignore whatever gossip came her way, letting unkind comments roll off her back like water off a duck's feather. She was tough, and she was beautiful, and now she was all his.

He thanked whatever gods above for delivering her to him, for giving this tired old man something to live for. He gave her hand a squeeze as they walked through moonlit streets, knowing that a dark chapter had closed on both of their lives. The next one would be brighter, happier, because they would be writing it together.

XXXXX

News of Kakashi and his former student spread quickly. Their relationship was no secret, and while some people shook their heads at first, nobody could dispute the love in Kakashi's eye when he looked at her nor her expression of pure adoration when she was with him. Tsunade had simply said it was about time for them to get together. She had known the minute they had walked into her office that something was brewing between them, but had decided not to interfere and let them sort it out themselves. She neither forbade nor frowned upon their relationship. In fact, she seemed to encourage it, constantly asking Sakura when Kakashi was going to sell his tiny apartment and simply move in with her.

Naruto and Sai were much more surprised by the development. The Kyuubi container of course pointed a finger at the older man and called him a pervert while wondering how his lovely, pure Sakura could have fallen so far. But once he got over his initial shock, he came to accept their unusual coupling when he saw how much happier they both seemed to be now that they were with each other.

Sasuke of course seldom spoke to either one of them unless it was necessary. Missions and training with the stubborn Uchiha were often strained, but Sakura figured he would come around eventually, and if he didn't, that was just too bad. If he wanted to mope over a bruised ego, than so be it.

About a month after Sakura sent a letter to Fuzen Machi, she received a reply. Miyabi had written a lengthy letter in her elegant handwriting, saying that everyone was doing well and none of them had decided to move away. Their family had become too tightly knit for any of them to strike out on their own, even if it meant staying in Fuzen Machi. As she read the letter, her fingers touched the sakura blossom at her neck. She wore the trinket often now unless she was sparring or in the shower. It was the only piece of jewelry she wore and it reminded her of the friends she had left behind.

Surprisingly, they had turned the club into a high end restaurant with a burlesque theme. Selling off Dajaku and Tsurenai's possessions had earned them enough money to put in a large kitchen where the dressing room used to be and of course, buy all the girls the necessities they had been lacking. Miyabi and Tora had cooked themselves at first, but they had ended up hiring a young man who was absolutely a master in the kitchen. Kitsune still performed, but this time she kept her clothes on and was actually in the process of perfecting her singing voice so her show would include songs as well. Misaki, Jitsu and Aiya had been the servers but their restaurant had grown so successful that they hired on more a few more girls and even a couple of guys part time. The establishment was apparently slightly risqué but still very posh and one of the nicest places in town. Crime bosses, elite shinobi and even wealthy travelers frequented the building, which they'd renamed Cloud Nine. Some had confessed that they'd come to town exclusively to eat at the new restaurant, which proved how famous their eatery had become. In fact, they had accumulated enough money that they were planning on closing down next month to completely renovate the place. The lap dance booths would be torn out and replaced with a champagne room, and new lighting and decor would be added.

Miyabi said that while they were all doing well and were happier than ever, they all missed Sakura terribly and wanted her to come visit the first chance she got and to bring Kakashi with her. Sakura intended to do so as soon as a mission took her that way or she got a lengthy amount of vacation. She was thrilled that they had risen above the horrible situation Dajaku had put them in and made something wonderful out of it. Those girls were strong and they would make it through.

Enclosed with her letter had been two separate envelopes, one for Yamato and one for Sai. The handwriting told Sakura who the authors of the letters were and she smiled. It seemed her shinobi friends had left lasting impressions on one who supposedly hated men, and one who liked men a little too much. Though she was curious, she didn't read the letters and passed Tora's on to Yamato and Kitsune's to Sai. Neither would disclose what had been written but both had worn genuine smile. She wondered if she wasn't the only one who wanted to visit Fuzen Machi soon.

XXXXX

Kakashi awoke, knowing it was still early since the morning light had not yet turned from gray to pink. Sakura's warm body was molded to his, giving him a sense of peace that he'd never known. Her breath was slow and even, signaling she was still asleep, and Kakashi allowed himself the moment to watch her slumber.

Life with Sakura was bliss and he found himself loving her more everyday, but it was not without its problems. Even six months after their return, she was still sometimes skittish. She had improved monumentally, her nightmares now a rare occurrence. The night he had finally confessed, they had fallen asleep in each other's arms, only to awaken when a nightmare sent her into a panic. He had found himself pinned on his back, the kunoichi atop him with a kunai at his throat. When she realized wheat she had almost done, she dropped the weapon and dissolved into tears, blubbering that perhaps they shouldn't be together after all if she was going to possibly cause him harm. Kakashi had consoled her, saying he refused to give her up and she had eventually gone back to sleep, but it was only the first of many incidents where she awoke, sometimes screaming, after a haunting nightmare where yellow-eyed men chased her.

He could only imagine the demons that tormented his love, and the worst part was he had been there when it all happened and he had walked away, convinced she was with Kudou by her own free will. Guilt plagued the Copy nin as he watched Sakura suffer and he wished there was more that he could do. He felt powerless, unable to do more than hold her when she needed it and give her space when requested.

As far as physical intimacy, they had done little more than kiss, although sometimes they showered together. He would lather every inch of her, but his touch was always more sensual than sexual. He was a patient man, and though he wanted to make love to her, he was content to have her in his life at all, and understood that her emotional healing was far more important than his physical wants.

At times it was incredibly difficult. One night he had peeked in her closet to bring her a shirt after her shower and had discovered the myriad of outfits she had worn at the club. She had brought all of them with her back to Konoha, the orange and black one, the obnoxiously pink one with metal rings, and his favorite, the sexy little red number that she had given him a lap dance in. There were even outfits in there he hadn't even seen! Just the sight of the provocative clothing was enough to make him hard, and he longed for Sakura to try each one on in turn and dance for him so he could then remove each outfit piece by piece and completely ravish her. He hoped that one day, his fantasy of Sakura playing dress up for him would become a reality, but he knew that suggesting such a thing now was out of the question. For now, he would have to wait.

Little by little, she made progress and the nightmares began to subside. He could hug her from behind without her jumping in fright. He could coax her out of her shirt and lavish those perfect breasts with the affection they deserved. At the four month mark, he suggested a massage and she reluctantly agreed. She lay facedown, naked on his bed as he straddled her hips and began to knead the tension out of her body. It reminded him of the events that had transpired in his motel room when an innocent message had turned naughty, when he had seduced his mission partner even though they had professed to try and keep things professional.

This time, his touches were only therapeutic, his hands working the knots out of her muscles until she began to melt beneath her fingertips. When she was finally relaxed, he asked her to turn over, and it was then that he tried to establish a more intimate connection. He kissed her smiling lips, then her neck, then her breasts, delighting in the timid little moans that escaped her. His loving caresses were so tender, so full of love, that they could not be mistaken for the rough pawing of her attacker.

He kissed over her flat belly, to shapely hips and could feel her tense as his hands smoothed over her thighs. He looked up to find an expression in her eyes akin to fear, and it hurt him to know that something that should have been wonderful had been so thoroughly tainted for her.

He had stopped his touches there, knowing she was still not yet ready, and though his own arousal throbbed for her, he pushed aside his own frustration and simply held her, hoping that one day soon she would finally come around.

Two months had passed since then and while there had been similar experiences, their physical relationship had not yet progressed. Kakashi looked at her now, peacefully asleep, long pink hair spilling across the pillow, and wanted nothing more than to heal her, to make all her scars fade away. He loved her so damn much that his heart ached and his greatest desire was not to simply make love to her, but to let her experience the joy and pleasure of physical love without fear or pain.

He pressed maskless lips to her cheek, then her neck, and was rewarded with a soft murmur as her eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning," he rasped huskily shifting to climb atop her so he could kiss the skin just below her ear.

"Good morning," she replied with a smile, her small hands spreading across his bare back.

This wasn't the first time he had woken her in such a way. He often showered her with kisses first thing in the morning. He would kiss her neck, her breasts, her stomach, and it all felt so good, but Sakura had not yet felt comfortable with going any further. Images of Koudo still haunted her and she wasn't sure if she could allow Kakashi to touch her without being reduced to a panic.

But today there was no fear like there had once been when he kissed over milky skin. There was only love and adoration for the handsome man caressing her body. His eyes were not yellow, but mismatched orbs full of emotions mirroring her own. He was her prince in a world where fairy tales never came true and she didn't know what she would do without him.

Nimble fingers inched the simple camisole up her torso and over her head and soon his mouth had latched on to one rounded breast, sucking and licking until the nipple was swollen and fully distended. Sakura mewled softly as he switched breasts, coaxing her body to respond to his ministrations. He flicked his tongue playfully over the pebbled bud, sending tingling pleasure down her spine and she arched against him automatically.

A familiar heat pooled between her thighs as he nibbled and licked her soft, flawless globes. She had felt such arousal countless times since their relationship in Konoha began, but fear had always outweighed the promise of blissful orgasm.

He kissed down her stomach, watched taunt abdominals flex in response as his tongue played over the smooth skin. He dipped into her navel, making her giggle before moving even lower where she had allowed a thatch of curly pink hair to grow back now that she was no longer dancing.

He sensed her body stiffen momentarily and looked up to find her biting her lip nervously, big green eyes watching him explore the planes of her body. While she was still timid, she seemed more relaxed today than she had been in the past, and decided that today he could perhaps push her a little.

"Trust me," he whispered and she had reluctantly nodded, seeming as determined as he was to overcome her fear of touch. "Tell me if you want me to stop, and I will," he said, "but I want you to give this a try. I want you to know that you don't have to be afraid. Nobody can hurt you now."

"I know," Sakura replied softly, wanting more than anything to embrace her lover's touch without panic or terror. "Just...just be gentle, ok?"

"Of course," he rasped, having every intention to be just that.

Their eyes remained locked as he slid silky panties down her legs and brought a single finger to her opening, finding her slick and warm. He whispered for her to relax as his digit played over her swollen clit, making her tremble and squirm as he teased her with gentle touches. Soon she was trembling with need but it was only when she asked him to that he pushed inside her perfect heat.

She was even tighter than he remembered, her body gripping him with incredible strength as he began to slowly pump in and out. He watched her arch and writhe, watched her hands grip the sheets, watched those green eyes fill with wonder as she was reacquainted with the pleasure that one person could give another.

Her thick scent was so intoxicating that he couldn't help the need to taste her. He positioned his face between her legs while still moving his finger inside her and sealed his mouth over her swollen pearl. His tongue flicked her clit in rhythm with his thrusts and soon her hands were tangled in his silvery hair as her hips bucked frantically against his mouth. He had missed this so very much, and actually tasting her again made the mere memories of her pale shadows by comparison. She was just as responsive as the first time he touched her and he delighted in every trembling moan. He encouraged her, spoke to her softly and soothed her with his voice so that she would know beyond a doubt that it was not Koudo forcing himself upon her, but a man that loved her without parallel.

Sakura's initial trepidation slowly melted away, and soon her worries were all but forgotten as Kakashi's skilled tongue and fingers worked over her sex, both inside and out. She had forgotten how amazing it felt to have his head wedged between her thighs to feel him licking her most intimate place while long, slender digits slid into her dripping core. She was not the blushing virgin she had been the first time she had done this, but she couldn't help but feel like it was her first time all over again. Every sensation seemed new, and she couldn't fight the soft, feminine moans that kept falling from her lips.

He pleasured her with slow licks, building her up gradually, making sure he was always gentle. He felt her body tense and looked up just in time to watch her fall apart, her mouth opening in a silent scream as her eyes squeezed shut. Feminine muscles clenched around his intruding finger as her body shuddered and Kakashi groaned as a gush of sweet liquid covered his tongue. Her nectar was like honey, ambrosia he could not get enough of, He continued to lick her softly, fingers thrusting slowly to help her ride through the aftershocks as he gently brought her down from her high. She was panting hard, her brow damp with sweat, but her expression was one of complete contentment, a satisfied smile already forming on her face. That dreamy smile made all the months of waiting worthwhile. He knew that not a trace of fear was residing in her mind. She wasn't thinking of what another man had wrongly done to her, but of Kakashi and how he had just pleasured her senseless.

Only when her shivering had subsided did the Copy nin withdraw, sliding up her body so he could, gather her in his arms and hold her close. He wasn't sure what to expect from her but he was surprised when she began to cry, not great, wailing sobs but soft sniffles and tears that dampened his bare chest.

"Sakura, what's the matter? Did I do something wrong?" he asked, voice laced with concern. Perhaps she had not been as ready for this as he had thought and he had pushed her too hard, too fast.

She shook her head and assured him that her tears weren't a bad thing.

"I'm ok," she said. "And you didn't do anything wrong. It was wonderful, Kakashi. I'd forgotten that I could even feel like that. I guess I'm just so happy, so relieved that I don't have to be afraid anymore...I just couldn't hold in the tears. I guess even after all this time, I'm still kind of a crybaby."

She looked up at him with those impossibly green eyes, now wet and glimmering like the surface of the sea and he couldn't help but drown in them, be pulled to her until he was kissing her. She kissed back with surprising passion as tears continued to leak from her eyes, her emotional release accompanying the physical.

Even as she sniffled, her hands found their way between them to the cord of his drawstring pants. She tugged at the knot impatiently and Kakashi broke the kiss to look at her questioningly.

"Sakura? You don't have to do this if you're not ready. We can-"

"No, I want to," she said, cutting him off. "I want to remember what it feels like to have you inside me. I don't want to wait anymore, so please..."

Kakashi searched those pleading eyes and could see the need reflected there. There was no way he could deny such a request.

"Ok," he whispered, rising off of her just long enough to tug his pants down over his hips and off his legs. "But tell me if I'm going too fast or if you want me to stop."

Sakura nodded as he covered her body with hers once more. Her thighs parted as their pelvises aligned and she gasped when the blunt head of his member brushed against slick, feminine petals.

"Are you ready?" he asked, dark eyes locking on hers as he hovered above her, poised to enter.

"Yes," she answered, wanting nothing more than to be filled by him.

He pushed forward slowly, breath rushing from his lungs as he exhaled. Her body immediately welcomed him, silky folds enveloping him into a wonderfully warm paradise. She was still so incredibly tight. Her body undulated around him so perfectly that he couldn't contain a soft groan.

Sakura arched responsively as she felt him slowly sink inside her, stretching her, filling her. Her body was already tingling with pleasure and he hadn't even begun to move. She remained gazing into Kakashi's mismatched eyes and could see so much love and passion and desire in them, that fresh tears began to leak from her eyes. This man would never hurt her. He would do anything for her, and she was safe with him. The one who she had though was out of reach was now by her side, and she wanted nothing more than to be united with him in this moment. his body interlocked with hers.

"Are you ok," he asked, seeing another tear cut a wet trail down her cheek.

She nodded, her lips curving into a soft smile. "Yes. I just never thought we would be together like this, that you could ever love me."

Kakashi shared her smile. "I do love you Sakura, more than anything, and I'm not going anywhere."

He began to move in slow strokes, bracing his hands on either side of her head as he worked his body against hers. She moaned and shivered beneath him, hands wandering restlessly over his muscled back. Her sex alternately clenched and loosened around him, massaging his thrusting length and forcing more strained groans from the normally composed man.

He dropped his head into the crook of her neck, pressing soft kisses against the graceful slope of her shoulder. His rhythm was slow, unwavering, gradually building her up as he gently thrust forward and withdrew. He could feel her growing wetter, her desire coating him and aiding him in sliding effortlessly along her silky inner walls.

Sakura wrapped her arms around her lover and help him tightly as his lips dusted kisses along her neck. His pelvis dragged over her sensitive clit with every thrust, sending pleasure racing along her spine. She gasped his name and trembled beneath him, no longer afraid of this wonderful intimate act. Kuodo and his employer couldn't hurt her anymore. She was back home among friends, the mission completed and the dancers saved.

Every thrust took her farther away from reality and soon there was only Kakashi and his chiseled body, his breath over her skin and his thick member inside her. Nothing else, mattered, only the pleasure and the passion between them.

She continued to call his name, her voice growing high and desperate. Kakashi was drunk on her voice, her scent. He continued to move against her slowly, savoring the feeling of sliding in and out of her perfect body. He could sense she was close to climax and so was he. He lifted his head so he could once against watch her lovely face as he shifted his hips to rub more fully against her clit with every movement.

The kunoichi cried out as the world began to dissolve. Colors flashed across her vision as Kakashi grinded against her sensitive pearl. Her body squeezed his length mercilessly as intense contractions wracked her body. Wave after wave of pleasure passed through her, stringing her body taunt as orgasm overtook her. Emerald eyes squeezed shut and coherent thought left her, aware only of how damn good Kakashi could make her feel.

The Copy nin watched her fall apart, grunting softly as feminine muscles clamped down on him with incredible strength. He whispered encouragements, telling her how beautiful she was when she came. He watched her features, contorted with pleasure as strands of pink hair stuck to her damp forehead.

The sight of her in such rapture and the feel of her convulsing around him sent him over the brink to join her. He growled her name as molten heat coursed through him, burning his nerve endings as equally hot liquid rushed along his member to fill her womb. He shuddered as he filled her, his release splashing against satin walls. All his strength seemed to leave him at once and he sagged against her, rolling to the side and drawing her trembling body with him. He held her as she gradually floated down to earth and stroked a comforting hand over her body in the afterglow.

She looked up at him with a mischievous smile, one he hadn't seen since their return to Konoha. Love for this woman welled up inside his chest and threatened to burst. She was so beautiful, and despite the odds, all his, the missing piece to fill the hole in his soul.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead whispering the three little words that held such tremendous meaning, and when she whispered them back, his heart took flight, so filled with joy that it could not stay grounded.

He thanked whoever it was that had seen fit to give this tired old man something to live for, because he was quite sure he did not deserve it. He swore that no matter what obstacles lay ahead of them, he would never ever let his cheery blossom go.

Sakura lay her head against Kakashi's chest as their hands found each other, fingers intertwining against the mussed sheets. A smile tugged at her lips as she thought that if someone told her a year ago that she would be in her former sensei's arms, she would have admitted that person for psychiatric evaluation. Yet here she was, wrapped up in muscles arms of her silver haired lover, Sasuke the farthest thing from her mind. She had never been so happy and this was only the beginning. She wondered if Tsunade could have ever guessed the turn of events following assigning them to the same mission.

She had been through so much with this man. He had seen her in her strongest moments and her weakest. He saw what was beneath her exterior, saw her stripped bare of the shell she had carefully constructed for herself. He had seen her at her most vulnerable, most fragile, and he had not broken her. And above all, despite all her imperfections and flaws, he still loved her, and she him, and that in itself was a gift greater than any she could ever hope to find.

She snuggled closer to Kakashi and sighed in contentment, knowing she had another hour or two before she had to get up for her hospital shift. Morning light spilled over their nude bodies, highlighting their flushed pink skin. Sakura could hope it was only one of many mornings they would spend entangled in each other's arms.

XXXXX

First of all, thank you to all my readers who have gone on this journey with me for the past two and a half years. This fic has over 3000 reviews. 3000! It boggles my mind that so many people have not only read this, but took the time to comment on it. This story would have never gotten finished without all of your encouragement.

Thank you to my betas who tell me honestly when my writing sucks and graciously help me fix it. Sometimes it's a long, long process and I appreciate it.

Thank you Masashi Kishimoto for creating such a colorful world of characters. You have inspired so many people to write stories of their own that take place in your world. All I'm asking is that you make Kaka/Saku cannon. Please? Pretty please?


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